Protective Factors for Adolescents Among Divorced Single-Parent Families from Taiwan

Abstract

There has been growing research interest in relation to problems of divorced single-parent families and their children. This study investigates predictors of life adaptation problems among adolescents from divorced single-parent families. The participants included 291 youths, 39.9% of whom were living with single fathers and 46.4% of whom were living with single mothers. All measures were tested using split-half reliabilities and Cronbach's Alpha reliabilities. Factor analyses were employed repeatedly until the factor loadings of all items in each scale were larger than 0.5. Regression analysis determined the influence of these factors on the adolescents' adaptation. Results showed that adolescents had multidimensional adaptation problems. Resilience, family functioning, and social support had their relative effects on each aspect of adaptation. Among these factors, family functioning played such an important role that it appeared to enter into almost every multiple regression equation. Specifically, “family are cohesive and harmonious” and “family render affirmative behaviors” protected youth from many adaptation problems. It also revealed that “confidence in handling interpersonal relationship” in personal resilience was important. Finally, implications for social work practice are provided.

KEYWORDS:

• adaptation problems
• single-parent
• resilience
• family functioning

This study was funded by the National Science Council of Taiwan, R.O.C.