Parental divorce during the college years

This exploratory study investigates the impact of parental divorce on a nonclinical college student population of both men and women whose parents divorced after the youngsters' departure from home. Reflecting the assumption that young adult offspring are relatively impervious to the effects of parental divorce, this population has been conspicuously neglected in divorce-related literature. The study highlights key psychological responses to parental divorce commonly shared by young adult offspring and differentiates those from responses to divorce shared by younger children and adolescents. Preliminary findings suggest that young adult offspring are likely to deny their parents' impending divorce, are more likely to ascribe blame to one parent rather than blame themselves, to use aggressive morality as a conduit for rage, to experience a series of role realignments post parental divorce, and demonstrate altered attitudes toward romantic love and marriage following their parents' midlife divorce.