IMPACT OF PARENTAL DIVORCE ON CHILDREN’S SOCIALIZATION AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Rasool Malika; Muhammad Irfan Khurram; Batool Zahira

Authors

Malika Rasool MPhil Scholar Sociology, Government College University Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. , Government College University, Faisalabad
Muhammad Irfan Khurram MPhil Scholar Sociology, Government College University, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. , Government College University, Faisalabad
Professor Dr Zahira Batool Professor and Chairperson, Department of Sociology, Government College University, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan (Corresponding Author). , Government College University, Faisalabad

Keywords:

Parental Divorce & Children’s Socialization; Family Support & Emotional Adjustment; Academic Performance; Peer Relationships & Resilience; Pakistan.

Abstract

Parental divorce is a major family transition that can reshape children’s emotional adjustment, social relationships, educational engagement, and access to family support. This study examined the relationship between parental divorce, children’s socialization, and academic performance in Punjab, Pakistan, with particular attention to emotional adjustment, family support, peer relationships, and resilience. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was employed. Data were collected from 50 university students aged 19–30 years whose parents were legally divorced. Participants were selected through purposive sampling and completed a structured questionnaire containing demographic questions and 30 five-point Likert-scale items covering academic performance, socialization, emotional adjustment, family support, peer relationships, and psychological well-being/resilience. Data were analyzed in IBM SPSS using descriptive statistics, normality assessment, an independent-samples t-test, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression.

The findings indicate that parental divorce was associated with difficulties in emotional, social, and academic adjustment, but the results also demonstrate substantial protective capacity among participants. Female respondents reported higher academic-performance and emotional-adjustment means than male respondents; the gender difference was statistically significant for emotional adjustment but not for academic performance. Pearson correlations showed significant positive relationships among academic performance, socialization, emotional adjustment, family support, peer relationships, and resilience. The regression model was statistically significant and explained 57.5% of the variance in academic performance, with emotional adjustment emerging as the strongest significant predictor. The study concludes that the consequences of divorce are shaped not only by family dissolution itself but also by post-divorce parenting, emotional stability, family support, peer relations, and resilience. Strengthening cooperative parenting, university counseling, peer support, and family-oriented interventions may reduce adverse consequences.

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Author Biography

Professor Dr Zahira Batool, Professor and Chairperson, Department of Sociology, Government College University, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan (Corresponding Author)., Government College University, Faisalabad

Prof. Dr. Zahira Batool, Department of Sociology, Government College University, Faisalabad, zahbatool@gcuf.edu.pk (Correspondence author).

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