Research Topic
The Lived Experience of Parental Divorce in Childhood, among Maldivian Young Adults.
Introduction
In Maldivian society, marriage is very important, but divorce is also a fairly common event in
people's lives. The Maldives is often mentioned as having one of the highest divorce rates in
the world. However, divorce is generally accepted in society and is not seen as a moral failing
or social stigma (UNFPA, 2017; Maldives Bureau of Statistics, 2024). Although marriage
remains a highly sought-after and frequently pursued institution, maintaining marital
relationships seems to be increasingly difficult, leading to trends of early marital dissolution
followed by remarriage (Rauf & Nomani, 2020). In this socio-cultural context, divorce is
frequently perceived not as an extraordinary familial crisis but rather as a standard relational
transition. Nevertheless, such normalization may inadvertently mask the lived experiences
and psychological consequences associated with the divorce process, particularly for
individuals who are most vulnerable to relational and environmental disruptions, most
notably children.
Divorce represents a major life transition that affects families at multiple interconnected
levels, including children, parents, and extended family systems (Gunay et al., 2019). Beyond
the legal termination of marriage, divorce frequently results in substantial alterations to
family functioning, disrupting established routines, caregiving arrangements, financial
security, and emotional stability. A growing body of empirical literature suggests that divorce
is associated with adverse mental, physical, economic, and social outcomes for family
members, with children being especially at risk due to their reliance on consistent caregiving
and emotionally secure relationships (Thadathil & Sriram, 2020). As a result, divorce is
increasingly conceptualized not solely as a legal process, but as a complex psychosocial
phenomenon with potential long-term implications for individual development and family
well-being (Obeid et al., 2021).
The psychological effects of parental divorce are exacerbated when accompanied by
additional stressors, including prolonged interparental conflict, financial difficulties,
inconsistent caregiving practices, and diminished relational or social support (Vederhus et al.,
2022; Juwariah et al., 2022). It is important to note that children's reactions to parental
separation vary. Adjustment trajectories differ significantly and are influenced by various
individual and contextual factors, including the child's developmental stage at the time of
divorce, gender, temperament, the quality of parent-child relationships, the level of exposure
to parental conflict, and the accessibility of supportive resources within extended family
networks, educational institutions, and community systems (Sari et al., 2021). Longitudinal
evidence indicates that early exposure to parental divorce may have lasting effects on
attachment security, emotional regulation, and interpersonal functioning, thereby impacting
adult intimate relationships and long-term psychological well-being (Amato, 2000).
International study on the effects of parental divorce is strong, but it doesn't apply to all
cultures. A lot of the research that is out there comes from Western nations and may not fully
reflect the lives of children who grow up in societies with different family structures, cultural
values, and social norms around marriage and divorce. This constraint is especially prominent
in environments where divorce is common and socially accepted, since cultural norms may
greatly influence how families perceive, manage, and react to marriage breakdown.
The Maldives serves as a particularly significant framework for analyzing these dynamics.
The nation has persistently recorded some of the highest divorce rates worldwide, a trend
ascribed to factors including early marriage, streamlined divorce legalities, frequent
remarriage, and broad societal acceptance of marital dissolution (Rauf & Nomani, 2020;
Ahmed & Riyaz, 2025; Maldives Bureau of Statistics, 2024). In this socio-cultural context,
divorce may be perceived not as a catastrophic life event but rather as a relational disturbance
for some children, contrasting with prevailing worldwide narratives that depict divorce
predominantly as a painful rupture (Shazra & Riyaz, 2022). Nonetheless, social normality
does not eliminate psychological susceptibility, especially when children are deprived of
continuous emotional support, effective communication, and organized opportunity to adapt
to familial changes during and following the divorce process.
Prior studies in the Maldivian context have primarily focused on adult-centric outcomes of
divorce, including remarriage trends, marital stability, and policy ramifications, while
neglecting the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral experiences of children during childhood
and their continuation into adulthood (Zareer, 2022). Empirical evidence reveals a weakness
in early psychological intervention and an absence of structured post-divorce psychosocial
support services for children in the Maldives (Shazra & Riyaz, 2022). Recent research reveal
a link between parental divorce and increased vulnerability to behavioral problems and
criminality among Maldivian children, underscoring the significant developmental and
societal consequences of insufficient support systems (UNICEF, 2025).
Considering these gaps, it is crucial to acknowledge that although divorce may be an
unavoidable occurrence, its potential psychological detriments are not predetermined and can
be alleviated through prompt, developmentally suitable, and culturally attuned interventions
executed both prior to and following marital dissolution. Recognizing adaptive coping
strategies, protective elements, and culturally relevant sources of resilience is crucial for
guiding effective mental health programs and family-oriented interventions. Dependence
solely on international literature is insufficient, as such evidence may not adequately reflect
the complexities of Maldivian family structures, collectivist tendencies, and community
support systems.
This study used a retrospective qualitative methodology to investigate how Maldivian young
people remember and interpret their childhood experiences of parental divorce, and how
these events have influenced their emotional, cognitive, and behavioral functioning in
adulthood. This study seeks to produce culturally relevant insights by emphasizing lived
experiences and meaning-making processes, thereby informing the creation of mental health
services, school-based support systems, and family-oriented intervention programs in the
Maldivian context (Neubauer et al., 2019).