Divorce, Families and Adolescents in India: A Review of Research

ABSTRACT

Marriage is an essential institution in most societies. It is a life event that results in the formation of a couple and resultant offspring. Literature from the West illustrates the effects of divorce on children and families. Attitudes toward divorce have changed in India, and the rates of divorce have increased over the years, but research on the subject is sparse. This article reviews research from India on the causes and effects of divorce and provides an overview of the psychosocial determinants of divorce and its impacts on families and adolescents. Fourteen research studies from 2000 to 2018 were identified for analysis. The studies were analyzed with reference to the objectives, the methods used, and the main findings. Eight out of the 14 studies used quantitative methods.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescents
• divorce
• families
• marital dissolution
• psychosocial effects
• social stigma