[Impact of divorce on quality of life in children aged 8-12 years in the province of Alicante (Spain)].

OBJECTIVES

To examine differences in quality of life according to family structure in Spanish children for the first time, and to determine whether the quality of life of children with divorced parents differs according to perceived interparental conflict.

METHOD

A cross-sectional, descriptive study was carried out in 1,025 children aged between 8 and 12 years old, recruited from seven randomly-selected schools in the province of Alicante. Of the total sample, 861 children had married parents and 164 had divorced parents. The children completed the Child Health and Illness Profile-Child Edition and those with divorced parents also provided information on the current relationship between their parents.

RESULTS

Quality of life was higher in children with married parents than in those with divorced parents, with higher scores in all dimensions. Children who reported conflict between their parents after the divorce had worse quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS

These results confirm significant differences in quality of life according to family structure and revealed the relationship between children's self-perceived health and interparental conflict after divorce. We emphasize the importance of health professionals in providing guidance to divorced parents on preventing their children's health problems and facilitating adaptation to the new family situation.