RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DIVORCE AND COLLEGE-STUDENTS DEVELOPMENT OF IDENTITY AND INTIMACY

This study investigated how parental divorce during Erikson's identity stage may alter a child's ability to successfully resolve die identity and intimacy crises. Successful progression through the identity and intimacy crises was determined by the Personal Orientation Inventory (Shostrom, 1974). Family functionality during adolescence was also assessed, using the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (Olson, 1985). Subjects from homes where parental divorce occurred between the ages of 11 and 17 were compared to subjects from homes where parental divorce occurred prior to age 11 and to subjects from intact homes. The results did not yield significant differences between the groups.