When the Familial Change: The Impact of Parental Divorce on Children's Learning Styles

Authors

  • Khairati Ismi University Muhammadiyah of West Sumatra, Indonesia
  • Ahmad Lahmi Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Barat https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7406-1496
  • Rahmi Rahmi University Muhammadiyah of West Sumatra, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24260/arfannur.v6i2.3833

Keywords:

Divorce, Learning Styles, Academic Achievement, Child Psychology, Adaptive Strategies

Abstract

The dissolution of a family unit through divorce represents a significant social phenomenon with a profound impact on children's psychological and academic development. The impetus for this study is the rising incidence of divorce in Kajai Village, Padang Pariaman, West Sumatra, Indonesia which has resulted in a range of challenges for children affected by these circumstances. The objective of this study is to examine the impact of parental divorce on children's learning styles and its subsequent effect on their academic performance. A qualitative research approach was adopted, with data collected through observation, in-depth interviewing and document analysis. The research subjects comprised children affected by divorce, their parents, and school personnel, who were selected as key informants for the purposes of this study. The data were subjected to descriptive and analytical analysis in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by the children. The findings indicate that parental divorce has an impact on children's psychological well-being, which in turn affects their learning styles and academic performance. It is evident that children who have experienced parental divorce often display a range of emotional and behavioural difficulties, including difficulties in maintaining concentration, feelings of sadness, guilt and excessive anxiety. Such difficulties have the potential to have a detrimental impact on their learning outcomes. Nevertheless, some children were able to develop adaptive strategies and demonstrate satisfactory academic achievement. It is of great significance to consider the role of supporting factors, such as family support, the school environment, and individual resilience, in determining the varying responses of children to divorce. This research makes a novel contribution to the field by elucidating the diverse learning styles of children from divorced families, a topic that has been underexplored, and delineating the supporting factors that can facilitate children's adaptation. It is anticipated that the findings of this study will inform the provision of appropriate psychological and academic support for children affected by parental divorce, and serve as a reference for families, schools and policymakers.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Aboulafia, M. (1991). Philosophy, Social Theory, and the Thought of George Herbert Mead. State University of New York Press.

Amato, P. R. (2001). Children of divorce in the 1990s: An update of the Amato and Keith (1991) meta-analysis. Journal of Family Psychology: JFP: Journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43), 15(3), 355–370. https://doi.org/10.1037//0893-3200.15.3.355

Amato, P. R., & Keith, B. (1991). Parental divorce and the well-being of children: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 110(1), 26–46. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.110.1.26

Amato, P. R., & Sobolewski, J. M. (2001). The Effects of Divorce and Marital Discord on Adult Children’s Psychological Well-Being. American Sociological Review, 66(6), 900–921. https://doi.org/10.2307/3088878

Andrew, E. (1975). Marx’s Theory of Classes: Science and Ideology. Canadian Journal of Political Science / Revue canadienne de science politique, 8(3), 454–466.

Anthony, C. J., DiPerna, J. C., & Amato, P. R. (2014). Divorce, approaches to learning, and children’s academic achievement: A longitudinal analysis of mediated and moderated effects. Journal of School Psychology, 52(3), 249–261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2014.03.003

AP. (2024). Personal Interview [Komunikasi pribadi].

Austin, Z., & Sutton, J. (2014). Qualitative Research: Getting Started. The Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, 67(6), 436–440.

AZ. (2024). Personal Interview [Komunikasi pribadi].

Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Prentice Hall.

Bercovitch, J. (1985). Third Parties in Conflict Management: The Structure and Conditions of Effective Mediation in International Relations. International Journal, 40(4), 736–752. https://doi.org/10.2307/40202320

BNS. (2024). Personal Interview [Komunikasi pribadi].

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The Ecology of Human Development: Experiments by Nature and Design. Harvard University Press.

Brown, S. L., & Lin, I.-F. (2022). The Graying of Divorce: A Half Century of Change. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 77(9), 1710–1720. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbac057

Çaksen, H. (2022). The effects of parental divorce on children. Psychiatrike = Psychiatriki, 33(1), 81–82. https://doi.org/10.22365/jpsych.2021.040

Cano, T., & Gracia, P. (2022). The Gendered Effects of Divorce on Mothers’ and Fathers’ Time with Children and Children’s Developmental Activities: A Longitudinal Study. European Journal of Population = Revue Européenne de Démographie, 38(5), 1277–1313. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10680-022-09643-2

Conger, R. D., Ge, X., Elder, G. H., Lorenz, F. O., & Simons, R. L. (1994). Economic Stress, Coercive Family Process, and Developmental Problems of Adolescents. Child Development, 65(2), 541–561. https://doi.org/10.2307/1131401

Coyle, E. F., & Fulcher, M. (2022). Social Influences on Gender Development: Theory and Context. Dalam D. P. VanderLaan & W. I. Wong (Ed.), Gender and Sexuality Development: Contemporary Theory and Research (hlm. 101–124). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84273-4_4

DF. (2024). Personal Interview [Komunikasi pribadi].

Dietz, J. L. (1980). Dependency Theory: A Review Article. Journal of Economic Issues, 14(3), 751–758.

Dodds, A. E., Lawrence, J. A., & Valsiner, J. (1997). The Personal and the Social: Mead’s Theory of the `Generalized Other’. Theory & Psychology, 7(4), 483–503. https://doi.org/10.1177/0959354397074003

D’Onofrio, B., & Emery, R. (2019). Parental divorce or separation and children’s mental health. World Psychiatry, 18(1), 100–101. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20590

Doohan, E.-A. M. (2014). Marital Communication. Dalam A. C. Michalos (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research (hlm. 3790–3794). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_1728

EN. (2024). Personal Interview [Komunikasi pribadi].

ER. (2024). Personal Interview [Komunikasi pribadi].

Fanchang, K. (2024). Psychosocial Development Theory. Dalam The ECPH Encyclopedia of Psychology (hlm. 1–2). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-6000-2_504-1

Fine, M. A., Ferraro, A. J., & Russell, L. T. (2024). The Increasingly Global Nature of Divorce. Family Transitions, 65(3), 169–173. https://doi.org/10.1080/28375300.2024.2364547

Fisher, R. J. (2016). Third Party Consultation: A Method for the Study and Resolution of Conflict. Dalam R. J. Fisher (Ed.), Ronald J. Fisher: A North American Pioneer in Interactive Conflict Resolution (hlm. 37–71). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39038-3_3

French, D., & Vigne, S. (2019). The causes and consequences of household financial strain: A systematic review. International Review of Financial Analysis, 62, 150–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.irfa.2018.09.008

Friedline, T., Chen, Z., & Morrow, S. (2021). Families’ Financial Stress & Well-Being: The Importance of the Economy and Economic Environments. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 42(1), 34–51. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-020-09694-9

Friedmann, H., & Wayne, J. (1977). Dependency Theory: A Critique. The Canadian Journal of Sociology / Cahiers canadiens de sociologie, 2(4), 399–416. h ttps://doi.org/10.2307/3340297

Frimmel, W., Halla, M., & Winter-Ebmer, R. (2024). How does parental divorce affect children’s long-term outcomes? Journal of Public Economics, 239, 105–201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2024.105201

Gaspar, T., Cerqueira, A., Guedes, F. B., & de Matos, M. G. (2022). Parental Emotional Support, Family Functioning and Children’s Quality of Life. Psychological Studies, 67(2), 189–199. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12646-022-00652-z

Gavazzi, S. M., & Lim, J.-Y. (2020). Family Systems Theory. Dalam R. J. R. Levesque (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Adolescence (hlm. 1–8). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32132-5_455-3

Giovannini, J. (2024). Family Systems Theory. https://rotel.pressbooks.pub/children-families- schools-communities/chapter/family-systems-theory/

GLG. (2024). Personal Interview [Komunikasi pribadi].

Gurieva, S. D., Kazantseva, T. V., Mararitsa, L. V., & Gundelakh, O. E. (2022). Social Perceptions of Gender Differences and the Subjective Significance of the Gender Inequality Issue. Psychology in Russia, 15(2), 65–82. https://doi.org/10.11621/pir.2022.0205

Gürmen, M. S., Anderson, S. R., & Brown, E. (2021). Relationship with extended family following divorce: A closer look at contemporary times. Journal of Family Studies, 27(1), 48–62. https://doi.org/10.1080/13229400.2018.1498369

Harris, P. (2020). Maslow, Abraham (1908–1970) and Hierarchy of Needs. Dalam P. Harris, A. Bitonti, C. S. Fleisher, & A. Skorkjær Binderkrantz (Ed.), The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Interest Groups, Lobbying and Public Affairs (hlm. 1–3). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13895-0_171-1

Haseli, A., Shariati, M., Nazari, A. M., Keramat, A., & Emamian, M. H. (2019). Infidelity and Its Associated Factors: A Systematic Review. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 16(8), 1155–1169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2019.04.011

Hernandez, L. M., Blazer, D. G., & Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Assessing Interactions Among Social, B. (2006). The Impact of Social and Cultural Environment on Health. Dalam Genes, Behavior, and the Social Environment: Moving Beyond the Nature/Nurture Debate. National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK19924/

Holmes, J., & Holmes, J. (2014). John Bowlby and Attachment Theory (2 ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315879772

Honda, T., Tran, T., Popplestone, S., Draper, C. E., Yousafzai, A. K., Romero, L., & Fisher, J. (2023). Parents’ mental health and the social-emotional development of their children aged between 24 and 59 months in low-and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analyses. SSM - Mental Health, 3, 100197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2023.100197

Jabbari, B., Schoo, C., & Rouster, A. S. (2024). Family Dynamics. Dalam StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560487/

Johnson, M. D., Lavner, J. A., Mund, M., Zemp, M., Stanley, S. M., Neyer, F. J., Impett, E. A., Rhoades, G. K., Bodenmann, G., Weidmann, R., Bühler, J. L., Burriss, R. P., Wünsche, J., & Grob, A. (2022). Within-Couple Associations Between Communication and Relationship Satisfaction Over Time. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 48(4), 534–549. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672211016920

Kågesten, A., Gibbs, S., Blum, R. W., Moreau, C., Chandra-Mouli, V., Herbert, A., & Amin, A. (2016). Understanding Factors that Shape Gender Attitudes in Early Adolescence Globally: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review. PLoS ONE, 11(6). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0157805

Kalmijn, M. (2005). His or Her Divorce? The Gendered Nature of Divorce and its Determinants. European Sociological Review, 22(2), 201–214. https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jci052

Kapetanovic, S., Rothenberg, W. A., Lansford, J. E., Bornstein, M. H., Chang, L., Deater-Deckard, K., Di Giunta, L., Dodge, K. A., Gurdal, S., Malone, P. S., Oburu, P., Pastorelli, C., Skinner, A. T., Sorbring, E., Steinberg, L., Tapanya, S., Uribe Tirado, L. M., Yotanyamaneewong, S., Peña Alampay, L., … Bacchini, D. (2020). Cross-Cultural Examination of Links between Parent– Adolescent Communication and Adolescent Psychological Problems in 12 Cultural Groups. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 49(6), 1225–1244. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-020-01212-2

Karhina, K., Bøe, T., Hysing, M., & Nilsen, S. A. (2023). Parental separation, negative life events and mental health problems in adolescence. BMC Public Health, 23(1), 2364. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17307-x

Kelly, J. B. (2000). Children’s Adjustment in Conflicted Marriage and Divorce: A Decade Review of Research. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 39(8), 963– 973. https://doi.org/10.1097/00004583-200008000-00007

Kelly, J. B., & Emery, R. E. (2003). Children’s Adjustment Following Divorce: Risk and Resilience Perspectives. Family Relations, 52(4), 352–362.

Kleinschlömer, P., & Krapf, S. (2023). Parental separation and children’s well-being: Does the quality of parent-child relationships moderate the effect? Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 40(12), 4197–4218. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075231201564

Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, Appraisal, and Coping. Springer Publishing Company.

Lee, C. M., & Bax, K. A. (2000). Children’s reactions to parental separation and divorce. Paediatrics & Child Health, 5(4), 217–218.

Lee, S., Wickrama, K. K. A. S., Lee, T. K., & O’Neal, C. W. (2021). Long-Term Physical Health Consequences of Financial and Marital Stress in Middle-Aged Couples. Journal of marriage and the family, 83(4), 1212–1226. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12736

Legault, L. (2017). Self-Determination Theory. Dalam V. Zeigler-Hill & T. K. Shackelford (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences (hlm. 1–9). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1162-1

MA. (2024). Personal Interview [Komunikasi pribadi].

Marx, K. (1975). Karl Marx on Society and Social Change: With Selections by Friedrich Engels (N. Smelser, Ed.). University of Chicago Press. https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/K/bo3634555.html

McLeod, S. (2024). Erik Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development.

Métais, C., Burel, N., Gillham, J. E., Tarquinio, C., & Martin-Krumm, C. (2022). Integrative Review of the Recent Literature on Human Resilience: From Concepts, Theories, and Discussions Towards a Complex Understanding. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 18(1), 98–119. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.2251

Miralles, P., Godoy, C., & Hidalgo, M. D. (2023). Long-term emotional consequences of parental alienation exposure in children of divorced parents: A systematic review. Current Psychology, 42(14), 12055–12069. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02537-2

Morris, A. S., Silk, J. S., Steinberg, L., Myers, S. S., & Robinson, L. R. (2007). The Role of the Family Context in the Development of Emotion Regulation. Social development (Oxford, England), 16(2), 361–388. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9507.2007.00389.x

Nangia, V. (2023). Crisis of Parental Conflict: Impact on Children and Families. Horyzonty Wychowania, 22, 71–82. https://doi.org/10.35765/hw.2023.2264.08

National Library of Medicine. (2024). Overview: Depression. Dalam InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279285/

O’Hara, K. L., Wolchik, S. A., Sandler, I. N., West, S. G., Reis, H. T., Collins, L. M., Lyon, A. R., & Cummings, E. M. (2023). Preventing mental health problems in children after high conflict parental separation/divorce study: An optimization randomized controlled trial protocol. Mental Health & Prevention, 32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhp.2023.200301

Orsini, A. (2024). Marxism and Conflict Theory. Dalam A. Orsini (Ed.), Sociological Theory: From Comte to Postcolonialism (hlm. 361–434). Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-52539-1_10

Özdo?ru, A. A. (2011). Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory. Dalam S. Goldstein & J. A. Naglieri (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development (hlm. 300–301). Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_940

Piao, X. (2021). Marriage Stability and Private Versus Shared Expenditures Within Families: Evidence from Japanese Families. Social Indicators Research, 153(2), 533–559. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-020-02498-2

Popenoe, D. (1999). Can the nuclear family be revived? Society, 36(5), 28–30. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02686148

PTR. (2024). Personal Interview [Komunikasi pribadi].

Remes, O., Mendes, J. F., & Templeton, P. (2021). Biological, Psychological, and Social Determinants of Depression: A Review of Recent Literature. Brain Sciences, 11(12), 1633. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11121633

Rojas, M., Méndez, A., & Watkins-Fassler, K. (2023). The hierarchy of needs empirical examination of Maslow’s theory and lessons for development. World Development, 165, 106–185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2023.106185

Rokach, A., & Chan, S. (2023). Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(5), 3904. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053904

Ross, D. B., Gale, J., Wickrama, K. K. A. S., Goetz, J., & Vowels, M. (2019). The Impact of Family Economic Strain On Work-Family Conflict, Marital Support, Marital Quality, and Marital Stability During the Middle Years. Journal of personal finance, 18(2), 9–24.

Ross, H. L., & Sawhill, I. V. (1977). The Family as Economic Unit. The Wilson Quarterly (1976-), 1(2), 84–88.

Rothenberg, W. A., Lansford, J. E., Bacchini, D., Bornstein, M. H., Chang, L., Deater-Deckard, K., Di Giunta, L., Dodge, K. A., Malone, P. S., Oburu, P., Pastorelli, C., Skinner, A. T., Sorbring, E., Steinberg, L., Tapanya, S., Tirado, L. M. U., Yotanyamaneewong, S., Alampay, L. P., & Al-Hassan, S. M. (2020). Cross-cultural effects of parent warmth and control on aggression and rule- breaking from ages 8 to 13. Aggressive Behavior, 46(4), 327–340. https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.21892

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. (2014). Self-Determination Theory. Dalam A. C. Michalos (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research (hlm. 5755–5760). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_2630

Saeed Abbasi, I. (2017). Personality and Marital Relationships: Developing a Satisfactory Relationship with an Imperfect Partner. Contemporary Family Therapy, 39(3), 184–194. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-017-9414-1

SAYER, L. C., & BIANCHI, S. M. (2000). Women’s Economic Independence and the Probability of Divorce. Journal of Family Issues. https://doi.org/10.1177/019251300021007005

Schaan, V. K., Schulz, A., Schächinger, H., & Vögele, C. (2019). Parental divorce is associated with an increased risk to develop mental disorders in women. Journal of Affective Disorders, 257, 91–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.06.071

Sheykhi, M. (2020). Worldwide Increasing Divorce Rates: A Sociological Analysis. Konfrontasi: Jurnal Kultural, Ekonomi dan Perubahan Sosial, 7, 116–123. https://doi.org/10.33258/konfrontasi2.v7i2.105

Sorek, Y. (2019). Children of divorce evaluate their quality of life: The moderating effect of psychological processes. Children and Youth Services Review, 107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104533

Strohschein, L. (2005). Parental Divorce and Child Mental Health Trajectories. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67(5), 1286–1300. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741- 3737.2005.00217.x

Thomas, P. A., Liu, H., & Umberson, D. (2017). Family Relationships and Well-Being. Innovation in Aging, 1(3), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igx025

Ungar, M. (2013). Resilience, Trauma, Context, and Culture. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 14(3), 255–266. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838013487805

Wadsworth, B. J. (1971). Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development: An Introduction for Students of Psychology and Education. McKay.

Willoughby, B. J., & James, S. L. (2017). Looking Ahead: The Future of the Marriage Paradox. Dalam B. J. Willoughby & S. L. James (Ed.), The Marriage Paradox: Why Emerging Adults Love Marriage Yet Push it Aside (hlm. 0). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190296650.003.0011

Worden, J. W. (2002). Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy: A Handbook for the Mental Health Practitioner, Third Edition. Springer Publishing Company.

World Population Review. (2024). Divorce Rates by Country 2024. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/divorce-rates-by-country

YT. (2024). Personal Interview [Komunikasi pribadi].

Downloads

Published

2025-06-18

How to Cite

Ismi, K., Lahmi, A., & Rahmi, R. (2025). When the Familial Change: The Impact of Parental Divorce on Children’s Learning Styles. Arfannur: Journal of Islamic Education, 6(2), 175–195. https://doi.org/10.24260/arfannur.v6i2.3833

Issue

Section

Articles