Well-being and constraints of adolescents : a comparison of adolescents from single-parent and two-parent families

In this research we analyzed the interactions between two family types (one-parent vs. two-parent families), their daily hassles, the adolescents' coping reactions, and their well-being. A total of 418 adolescents aged between 12 and 18 (367 from two-parent families; 51 from one-parent families) answered a questionnaire. Adolescents living in one-parent families reported more family-specific hassles than adolescents living in two-parent families; the two groups did not differ in the level of their coping reactions and well-being. A strong problem-oriented coping reaction helped only adolescents living in one-parent families to regain a higher level of well-being. On the other hand, emotion-oriented coping decreased only the well-being of adolescents living in two-parent families.