Rebuilding Quality of Life and Health-Related Quality of Life in Adolescents After Parental Divorce: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the SES NXT Digital Intervention

This study examined the effectiveness of SES NXT, a digital intervention for adolescents affected by parental divorce, in improving quality of life (QoL) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), both of which are important markers of functioning and development across key domains of adolescent life. Using a randomized controlled, parallel-group superiority design, 294 adolescents aged 11–17 (M age = 14 years; 51% girls) were assigned to either an intervention or wait-list control group. SES NXT delivered modular, self-guided content on a range of divorce-related topics through videos, multimedia, storytelling, and interactive exercises. Outcomes were assessed at baseline (T1), 4 weeks (T2), and 12 weeks (T3) using the Quality of My Life Questionnaire. Outcomes were QoL and HRQoL and an exploratory outcome was self-perceived improvements in life quality. At 12 weeks, adolescents in the intervention group reported significantly higher QoL and HRQoL compared to controls, with moderate to large effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 0.58–0.84, p < .001) and large self-perceived improvements in life quality at both T2 and T3 (Cohen’s d = 0.81–1.07). Intervention effects were consistent across age subgroups, with no observed dose-response effect based on the number of modules completed. SES NXT significantly improved adolescent QoL and HRQoL post-divorce, demonstrating that well-designed digital tools can enhance holistic youth outcomes. These findings support the integration of scalable digital interventions into care settings for youth navigating parental divorce.