Culture has continually shifted away from the traditional values of our country. Marriage has been redefined, family ideals have been dismissed, and traditional family structure is starting to become “outdated”. This new culture shift is harmful, not to just our kids, but even more so to our grandchildren. New research suggests that teenagers with divorced parents are more prone to addiction, not just because of the emotional impact of the separation, but due to a number of deeper issues that follow the separation.
To be clear: not every child with divorced parents is doomed to addiction. A divorce doesn’t automatically lead to delinquency or addiction, however, new research is making it difficult to argue that children outside of a stable, two parent household face elevated risks of falling to addiction.
A 2022 study published in the Archives of Public Health focused on this issue among Lebanese teens. The study found a direct link between parental divorce and nicotine addiction. The study also revealed that it wasn’t just because of the sad feelings that teens were experiencing because of the divorce. It was also because of the things that came after their parents splitting up; Physical and psychological abuse, and feeling neglect from their parents all add up, which leaves teens searching for something to numb the pain.
Roughly 12% of the teens in the Lebanese study came from divorced families. Within this group, there was a significantly higher rate of nicotine use, especially with hookahs, which have become a large part of Lebanese culture. While cultural context does matter, there is a similar issue going on in the United States as well.
Another study from 2021 from the International Journal of Bullying Prevention states that, “Bullying victimization is a chronic stressor that can make it difficult for victims to cope in more adaptive ways. Consequently, victims may engage in health risk behaviors such as substance use…”. This study confirms that teens suffering from chronic stress are more likely to turn to substances. A large cause of chronic stress among teens in America? Parental divorce. It’s a chain reaction, with parental divorce being the start, followed by instability which leads to chronic stress, aggression, anger, neglect and instability.
On the other hand, some may argue that parental divorce may actually benefit the child at hand. They claim that if marriage is full of conflict, then parental divorce can be a relief for the child, and point to research such as Kelly and Emery’s 2003 study, showing that peaceful co-parenting can reduce the harmful after effects of divorce. This research shows that in some cases, kids who grow up in high conflict households might actually feel better after their parents separate because of the decreased tension in the household. Research claims that if the divorced couple are peaceful and supportive, the risk of substance use may not increase at all.
Research such as this is completely valid; peaceful co-parenting can, and will reduce the harm a child would experience otherwise in a hostile environment following parental divorce.
However, this argument has one major flaw: it assumes that this situation is present for all children with divorced parents. It assumes that parents will communicate well, keep peace, and prioritize the child’s needs at all times. In reality, this is not the norm for most teens with divorced parents. Data from multiple studies show that in most cases, parental divorce leads to increased instability, reduced parental supervision, and increased risk of experiencing abuse, which as stated earlier, only worsens the risk of substance use. The 2022 Lebanese study confirms it; teens weren’t just smoking because their parents separated - they were smoking more because of the abuse and neglect that they experienced thereafter.
Penn State psychology professor Paul Amato states that, “In general, the accumulated research suggests that marital dissolution has the potential to create considerable turmoil in people's lives.” He even addresses substance use as a main outcome of parental divorce. Amato’s research shows that even when high-conflict marriages end, divorce is still associated with a number of negative outcomes that can all point toward substance use as a coping mechanism. This list includes: Lower academic achievement, behavioral problems, greater likelihood of mental health issues, weaker relationships in adulthood and more.
There is a silver lining, however, with new research showing that kids with positive adult influences in their lives can better withstand the negative effects of parental divorce. The Florida study pulled data from almost 25,000 students statewide, and examined how things like having a mentor, feeling safe at school, or being a part of a supportive community can act as a “buffer” in the face of adverse childhood experiences. The study found that those who had lived through adverse childhood experiences were less likely to engage in substance abuse if they had strong, positive relationships in their lives.
The Bible reminds us in Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” As grandparents, you can play a powerful role in helping influence teens in the right direction. We live in a world where culture tells our grandkids that family doesn't matter, marriage is optional, and that values are adjustable parts of our lives. It’s up to us to help younger generations realize that family isn’t optional, it’s a necessity.
At the end of the day, not everyone who’s parents get divorced are bound to go down a path of addiction and substance use, but let’s not overlook the fact that divorce followed by abuse, neglect, instability, and a whirlwind of emotions can leave a kid looking for a way out. These experiences are traumatic, and trauma can be dealt with the right way, but can also be dealt with in very wrong ways. Until we start to build the proper support systems in schools, homes and communities where teens feel comfortable being vulnerable, the problems these kids face with coping will only worsen.
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