Divorce and Its Effects on Child Development: The Case of Itsani Village in the Vhembe District of Limpopo Province, South Africa

Divorce and Its Effects on Child Development: The Case of Itsani Village in the Vhembe District of Limpopo Province, South Africa

Thavhakhulu Fhulufhedzani & Tsoaledi Daniel Thobejane

Issue: Vol.6 No.14 Article 25 pp.3739 – 3752
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561425 | Published online 30th December, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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ABSTRACT

The rate of divorce has been increasing in the world. Contemporary demographers estimate that approximately half of first marriages and about 60 per cent of second marriages will eventually end in dissolution. Studies show that parental divorce is linked with the increasing risk of adolescent adjustment problems for children, with less academic enthusiasm cited as the most worrying. Most of the children from these parents who have divorced end up dropping out of school, adopting disruptive behaviour, and abusing substances such as alcohol and illicit drugs. The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of parental divorce on youth development at Itsani village in the Vhembe district, Limpopo province, South Africa. The study investigated whether parental divorce may be a contributing factor in the deterioration of their performance at school. The study used a qualitative explorative research design. The purposive sampling method was also used to select a sample from the population of the study. Face-to-face interviews were also used as a method of data collection from 10 participants aged 16 – 21 years, residing in the Itsani village. The results established that youth who are from a troubled family and facing divorce are mostly depressed and are unable to concentrate on their studies. Their parents’ financial instability and lack of conflict resolution at home make them experience poor social relationships, and they are also reserved and introverted. Therefore, the paper suggests serious intervention mechanisms to help them cope with the sudden change in their family settings so that they can ultimately live a fulfilling life. The study also adds t the body of knowledge regarding divorce and its impact on the children.

Keywords: Parental divorce, Youth, Youth Development, Itsani village.

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ABOUT AUTHOR(S)

Thavhakhulu Fhulufhedzani is a Youth in Development graduate who is currently enrolled in a master of Arts Degree in Youth Development at the University of Venda. She is interested in youth advocacy, youth empowerment, community development, and work-integrated learning to increase the employability outcomes of youth. She is more interested in family dynamics, child and youth care, ensuring that the essential needs of children and young people are met by advocating for the youth to relevant stakeholders.

Tsoaledi Daniel Thobejane is a professor at the University of Venda, South Africa. He holds a doctoral degree in international Education from the University of Massachusetts(USA). He obtained his Master of Science degree in Community Economic Development, which he attained with a cum laude, at Manchester State University in Manchester in 1998. He was actively involved in the Liberation Struggle in South Africa and was subsequently arrested under the state of emergency from 1985 until 1988.Prof.Thobejane worked as the Director for the School of International Training, which was based in Brattleboro ( USA), and was later deployed to South Africa, where this institution had a satellite campus in Durban, South Africa. He also worked as a qualified Teacher at Somavunga High School, based in Limpopo Province. Thus far, he has published close to 70 articles and four books in the area of Geo-Politics, Gender and Education. He has also delivered keynote addresses and organized conferences at the University of Venda and abroad. His articles have received more than 800 citations internationally. He presently serves as an external examiner for many Universities while also serving as a peer reviewer for many journals.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Fhulufhedzani, Thavhakhulu, and Tsoaledi Daniel Thobejane.“Divorce and Its Effects on Child Development: The Case of Itsani Village in the Vhembe District of Limpopo Province, South Africa.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no. 14 (2025): 3698 – 3714, https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202561425.