Relationships between Possible Selves and Self-Reported Problems of Divorced and Intact Family Adolescents

This investigation focused on the effects of divorce on the nature of adolescent possible future selves, marital expectations, and self-reported problems. The subjects were 48 adolescents, ages 13 to 15 years, and their mothers. Half of the adolescent subjects came from intact and half from divorced families; and half were males and half were females. Subjects were interviewed and administered questionnaires. Results suggested that early adolescents from divorced families exhibit greater apprehension about entering marriage and greater willingness to consider leaving a faltering marriage than do intact family adolescents. Divorced family adolescents also reported greater disobedience at home than did intact family adolescents. The most striking differences between divorced and intact family adolescents were found in the differences in correlations between possible selves/expectations variables and problem variables. Self-reported problems were more closely linked to possible future selves and marital expectations in divorced than in intact family adolescents. These results appeared to support the theory that possible selves can serve to mediate the effects of stressful life-events.