Children of divorce develop stronger morals but face hidden emotional struggles

Children who experience parental divorce or loss may develop stronger moral values—even while experiencing significant emotional challenges. This new research was published in Behavioral Sciences.

Divorce and the death of a parent are widely known to affect children’s mental health. Previous studies have linked these events to anxiety, depression, academic problems, and behavioral difficulties. Children may feel insecure, struggle in school, or find it harder to build trusting relationships.

At the same time, some psychologists have suggested that hardship and adversity can sometimes foster growth, helping young people become more responsible, empathetic, and emotionally aware.

To better understand this complex picture, researcher Fahri Sezer from Balıkesir University, Turkey, examined how divorce and parental loss relate not only to emotional adjustment but also to what psychologists call “moral maturity.” This refers to a person’s ability to understand right and wrong, take responsibility, and act with fairness and empathy.

The study involved 319 students (191 females, 128 males) between the ages of 10 and 18 who had experienced either parental divorce or the loss of a parent, drawn from middle and high schools. Students completed two detailed questionnaires: one measuring how well they were adjusting emotionally to the divorce or loss, and another assessing their level of moral development.

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Following statistical analyses, the results revealed a surprising pattern. Overall, the students scored above average in moral maturity. In other words, many of these young people demonstrated a strong sense of responsibility, fairness, and ethical awareness. However, their emotional adjustment to the divorce or death revealed another trend. Many reported high levels of conflict, stress, anxiety, and low social support.

Sezer also uncovered a moderate link between moral maturity and emotional distress. Students who reported more conflict and higher anxiety also tended to score higher in moral maturity. While this may seem counterintuitive, he suggests that “facing crises can foster the development of moral traits such as a heightened sense of responsibility and empathy… early exposure to family difficulties can enhance moral development by promoting self-awareness.”

Gender and age differences also emerged. Boys scored higher than girls on moral maturity overall. High school students scored higher than middle school students, suggesting that moral development may increase with age and education. However, girls in middle school had the lowest moral maturity scores among the groups studied.

Substance use showed one of the clearest patterns in the study. Adolescents who reported using substances had significantly lower moral maturity scores compared to those who did not. The difference was large enough to suggest a meaningful connection between risky behavior and lower ethical development.

When researchers analyzed which emotional factors best predicted moral maturity, depression and anxiety were positively linked to higher moral maturity. Social support demonstrated a negative relationship, meaning that higher levels of support from others were related to lower moral maturity. However, the overall predictive strength of these factors was relatively small, meaning many other influences likely play a role.

“Providing professional psychological support to assist with the psychological and emotional adjustment of children and families during and after the divorce process is of paramount importance,” Sezer concluded.

The study has limitations. As it investigated students at a single point in time, it cannot prove that divorce causes changes in moral development. In addition, the data relied on students’ self-reports.

The study, “How Divorce and Parental Loss Shape Children’s Moral Growth and Emotional Resilience,” was authored by Fahri Sezer.