Is adolescent adjustment following parental divorce a function of predivorce adjustment?

This study examined whether adolescent adjustment problems which previously have been attributed to parental divorce exist prior to the divorce. Three groups (to-be-divorced, remain intact, and already divorced) were examined across four domains of adolescent functioning reported by multiple informants. The results indicated that adolescents from the to-be-divorced group functioned similarly to those who would remain in intact families but better than those in the already divorced group, suggesting that differences can be attributed to parental divorce and its accompanying disruption of family processes. Two of these processes, interparental conflict and parenting, were examined and failed to receive support.