From Childhood to Adulthood:

The Enduring Effects of Parental Divorce

By: Giannella Guerrero Cardenas

Major: Sociology
Minor: Technology Information Management

Introduction

Welcome!

Hi, I’m Giannella, and welcome to my research site.This project was born from both personal reflection and academic curiosity. I wanted to explore how childhood experiences of parental divorce can leave lasting emotional, social, and psychological effects well into adulthood. Through a combination of surveys and in-depth interviews with UCSC students, I’ve gathered insights into how young adults navigate relationships, mental health, and identity after parental separation.

Abstract

This research project examines the enduring effects of parental divorce on young adults, focusing on how early experiences of separation shape emotional well-being, relationship patterns, and personal development. Drawing from both survey data and in-depth interviews with UC Santa Cruz students who experienced divorce during childhood or adolescence, the study uncovers recurring themes such as fear of abandonment, conflict avoidance, emotional withdrawal, and struggles with intimacy and trust. Participants shared a variety of coping strategies, ranging from avoidance and substance use to therapy and self-awareness, highlighting the diverse ways individuals adapt to family disruption. The findings also emphasize the role of factors like household dynamics, financial stress, and cultural perceptions of mental health in shaping long-term outcomes. This research aims to shed light on the quiet, often unseen ways divorce continues to influence young adults as they transition into independence and adulthood.

Research Question

What are the long-term effects of parental divorce on young adults, and how do they cope with and make sense of their experience?

Methods

Campus Survey

I distributed flyers with a QR code linking to an online survey, which gathered responses from 35 students who experienced parental divorce during childhood or adolescence. The survey asked multiple-choice questions about:

Parental conflict levels
Emotional well-being before and after the divorce
Communication with each parent post-divorce
Frequency of anxiety and depression

Survey Questionnaire Form

More than half (85%) of students experienced their parents' divorce before the age of 15

a critical developmental window when children are particularly vulnerable to emotional upheaval.

Based on the results below...

Stronger emotional bonds were maintained with mothers over fathers

Tracking how often participants communicated with each parent helped reveal emotional closeness and parental involvement after the divorce. It also showed whether one parent became more distant over time,

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a factor that can strongly impact a child’s sense of

security and future relationships.

30/35 (~85%) students reported experiencing anxiety or depression post-divorce

This overwhelming majority suggests that divorce doesn’t just restructure families, it often restructures a young person’s internal world.

One-on-one Interviews

From the survey, students could volunteer for a follow-up interview. I conducted 16 in-depth interviews, where participants shared personal stories, challenges, and lessons learned from their parents' divorce. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.

Some of the questions asked:

Can you describe any particular moments or events since the divorce that had a significant impact on your emotional well-being or mental health?
How do you navigate any conflicts or tension in family interactions that may arise as a result of the divorce?
Can you describe any challenges you’ve faced in adapting to life after the divorce?
How has your perception of family and home changed since your parents’ divorce?

*Click here to access Interview Questions*

Identified recurring patterns:

Handling Conflict
Coping Mechanisms
Effects of Parental Presence/Absence
Mental Health Struggles
Relationship Challenges

Findindgs

Upbringing Environment Shapes Emotional Outcomes

The emotional climate before, during, and after divorce, whether hostile, neglectful, or relatively peaceful, greatly impacted how participants processed the experience. Hostile homes left lingering anxiety and trauma, while civil divorces, though still confusing, resulted in less emotional distress.

Trish (6 yrs old)

“I am very fortunate that my parents never fought in front of me. They never displayed any of their differences, which definitely, at the time I was more confused. I was six [which] was more confusing because I never saw them fight. I never saw them, you know, unhappy.”

Josh (10 yrs old)

“When my dad drank too much, he started a fight with my mom over whatever it was. And it would get to the point where he would threaten suicide one night, we had to leave, pack our stuff up and leave, go to a hotel and call the cops because he kept threatening to kill himself or harm us."

Lily (16 yrs old)

“I'd say that after the divorce, it's like everyone decided, ‘Oh, she knows, okay, we can talk shit about him in front of her face now… sometimes even now, whenever they insult my dad they say, ‘Don't you think so?’, I laugh awkwardly, inside I am screaming, because why would you ask me that?”

Coping Mechanisms Range from Destructive to Healing

Participants developed a variety of coping mechanisms in response to the chaos of divorce, including substance use, emotional withdrawal, and self-sabotaging relationships. Some found relief through therapy and self-reflection, while others repeated harmful patterns learned at home.

Participant Rose:

“I was getting really into drugs… I would do cocaine, I would get drunk all the time, I would get high on weed all the time… I just went on a long bender of getting f*cked up and not being connected to reality. I think it was because I wasn’t seeing my mom."

The Absence of a Parent Leaves a Lasting Emotional Void

The emotional or physical absence of a parent, especially fathers, was described as more painful than the divorce itself. This absence shaped issues of trust, worthiness, and stability in relationships well into adulthood.

Participant Anika:

“Yeah, I just feel when I was like in high school, and this was a point in which my dad really wasn't talking to me, I hadn't heard from him in years. I started to kind of seek out relationships that reminded me of my dad, which is kind of weird, …but I would notice patterns between my dad's behavior and the people I was dating, and I was dating people who didn't respect me as much because I had low confidence, and that's probably part due to the rejection I felt from him as a kid and growing up."

Relationship Patterns

Many participants unconsciously recreated unhealthy relationship dynamics seen in their families, seeking chaotic or neglectful partners, becoming overly attached, or struggling with emotional intimacy. Others redirected unmet needs into deep friendships or community bonds.

Anne

“...And then I have made my friends, my family. I put so much time and effort into my friends just because I feel like they're my people…I always want to keep my friends close to me. You know what I mean? Just because I feel like they're always there for me and I always want to be there for them and stuff. But I definitely do think that because I didn't get that at home. I did look for it.”

Handling Conflict Is Often Rooted in Childhood Survival Tactics

Participants described freezing, avoiding, or emotionally shutting down in the face of conflict, shaped by early experiences of witnessing parental fights. However, some learned new, healthier ways to communicate as adults through personal growth.

Bennet

“I’m very avoidant, and I’m really scared of sharing my feelings with others, even if it’s something very simple... I just always wanted to be invisible. I didn’t want anyone to perceive me... I would just get so scared that [friends] were just gonna end up not wanting to be my friend anymore if I had brought anything up about my feelings.”

Patrick

“For me, it’s very on a case-by-case basis... I feel like I should be focusing more on being virtuous in a conflict... you’re not always going to be right when you step in or not step in, but at least you’re trying to come to the deeper truth... that’s how I manage everything in my life.”

Mental Health Is Affected by the Surrounding Chaos, Not Divorce Alone

Divorce alone was rarely the sole cause of mental health struggles. It was the instability, emotional neglect, and toxic behaviors surrounding the separation that created lasting emotional challenges like anxiety, depression, and low self-worth.

Parental divorce leaves a lasting mark, shaping how young people view relationships, handle conflict, and understand themselves. This study revealed that many young adults carry unresolved feelings of abandonment, anxiety, or confusion, especially when exposed to unstable or emotionally charged environments.

But it also showed resilience. Some participants turned pain into growth, using their experiences to build empathy, self-awareness, and emotional strength.

“You can’t really grow if you’re just holding on to everything.” —Sonny

These stories remind us: divorce isn’t just a family issue, it’s a lifelong journey that deserves to be understood with care and compassion.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to my amazing mentors, Professor Rebecca London and Rosa Navarro. London, thank you for pushing me to do more than the bare minimum. Rosa, thank you for believing in me. To both of you, thank you for being patient and helping me turn this idea into my first research.
Thank you, Koret Foundation, for the opportunity to pursue my research and for allowing me to dedicate my time to this project.

*IRB STUDY: HS-FY2024-102

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