The Effects of Divorce on College Academics

1. The Effects of Divorce on College Academics Dominique Popovski

2. Research Question • My thesis: • The research that will be conducted to answer the question that has been posed is about how a typical college student views their academics, how they truly treat their studies, and whether or not divorced children are reported as academically disadvantaged and if their past situation contributes to their decline.

3. Lit. Review • Based off past research… • -Men reported higher rates of depression after their parents divorced. • -The biggest indicator of a healthy self-esteem was peer and parental support after a divorce. • -College students whose parents were still married, on average, received 8% of their parents income for college, while most divorced parents contributed about 6% of their income, despite similar income levels.

4. Lit. Review • Continued… • -Those whose parents divorce at college rated that their stress levels are higher. • -Students whose parents divorced perceive that they handle social responsibility greater and struggle through adversity better. • -Children whose parents divorce rate their parents as more negligent emotionally and feel alienated from their core-familial life during and after college.

5. My research • Completion of 30 surveys by OU students • -15 males, 15 females • Analysis on survey is based off qualitative trends • One interview by a male OU freshman • Analysis on interview was qualitative and also assessed on-verbal communication

6. Sample Survey • On a scale 1-10, how would you rate the ease of the overall transition to college lifestyles? 7 • On a scale 1-10, how would you rate the overall experience thus far at Oakland? 6 • What is your overall GPA? 3.4 • Do you know what your major is? Yes • How many close relationships-friendship do you have/have you made since your freshman year? 1-2 • On a scale 1-10, how confident/comfortable are you in your lifelong goals and being able to pursue them? 3 • On a scale 1-10, how would you rate your overall self-esteem/self-worth? 4

7. Survey results • From 30 students, 14 have divorced parents. • 57% rated their experience at OU above a 5. • The average GPA is 3.4. • 28% stated they feel their familial situation influences their grades and academics. • The most common rating of self-esteem/worth is a 4/10. • 35% feel they have a close and solid relationship with their parents.

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10. Interview results • Interviewer: How has this [the divorce] impacted you today? • Anonymous Student: I don’t know. I sometimes think about it and I think it connects to my depression. I have depression and take medication for it.  But I don’t know how else. • I: Do you think it affects your schooling at all? • A: (Relaxes his posture and leans back a little more) No, not really. I really try at subjects I like, like physics and science or math.  But the subjects I hate, I don’t really do the work in. • I: What’s your overall GPA, if you don’t mind me asking? • A: You’re fine. It’s anonymous, right? It’s a 3.3. • I: So you stated that it doesn’t affect your school work. What about your self-esteem? • A: I don’t know. His [father’s] words still make me feel bad but I don’t think I can just get over it all. And I know my mom loves me but I just don’t know how to get over it and when I do bad I think of him and it gets in my head.

11. Interview analysis • Anonymous Student stated that he did not perceive that his academics were not connected to his parents divorce. • However, his self-worth is correlated. • There is an indirect connection between parenting styles and self-esteem. • Overall, this could influence his grades.

12. Conclusion • I was not able to correlate grades, GPA, or academic involvement to parental divorce. • However, there seems to be a connection between levels of self-esteem and divorce rates. • -This could influence grades. • Overall, more research should be done in this area of developmental science.

13. references • Bianchi, L. G.. (April 1997). The Effects of Divorce on College Students. • Retrieved from: http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED283078 • Block, K., Spiegal, S. (2013). The Impact of Parental Divorce on Emerging Adults’ Self-Esteem. • Retrieved from : http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/opus/issues/2013/spring/blockspiegel • Connecticut Collaborative Divorce Group (CCDG). (October 7, 2013). How to Help College • Kids Cope with Divorcing Parents. Retrieved from: http://www.stamfordplus.com/stm/information/nws1/publish/News_1/CCDG-How-to-help-college-kids-cope-with-divorcing-parents20895.shtml • Hands, A. J., & Warshak, R. A. (2011). Parental Alienation Among College Students. • Retrieved from: http://web.b.ebscohost.com.huaryu.kl.oakland.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=95d3e962-ff29-4e2d-8d29-d652f81a3be7%40sessionmgr111&vid=2&hid=119 • McIntyre, A. (April-May 2003). Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. College • Students from Families of Divorce, 17-31. Retrieved from: http://www.sciencedirect.com.huaryu.kl.oakland.edu/science/article/pii/S0193397303000224?np=y • Schultz, J. S. (December 15, 2010). The Financial Impact of Divorce on College • Students. Retrieved from: http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/15/the-financial-impact-of-divorce-on-college-students/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0