Abstract

This study pursues the following three purposes: analysing and comparing the patterns of attachment and the self image in adolescents belonging to either united or separated families; comparing the couples attachment distribution among the parents belonging to either united or separated families; comparing the family representation among parents and adolescents, thus to evaluate the influence of the family structure variable (separated vs united nuclei). On the basis of these considerations, a sample of 106 persons, 40 adolescents (between 14 and 18 years) and 66 parents has been studied. Our study outcomes have not shown a significant link between the adolescents's style of attachment and the parental divorce, confirming shown existing data literature. The separation seems mainly to influence the adolescents self-evaluation, especially with respect to the Social Self, Sexual Self, Familial Self and Coping Self.