This study examined the effect of parental divorce on the affective development of young adults, in order to assess the needs of this group for guidance, support, services, policies, and legislation. Undergraduates (n=330) at five universities in Southern California were divided into a target group (n=37) whose parents had separated in the past 5 years; another target group (n=55) whose parents had been separated for 6 or more years; and a remaining comparison group (n=238). The following instruments were administered: the Student Developmental Task and Lifestyle Inventory; the Moos Family Environment Scale (Moos & Moos, 1974); the Life Change Inventory and the Young Adult Affect Scale, along with a questionnaire on demographics, the parent-student relationship; and the students' perception of the parents' relationship. No significant group differences were found for the developmental tasks of establishing and clarifying purpose and academic autonomy, whereas when the recent target group was divided into very recent and later recent groups, the very recent target group showed decreased capacity for developing mature interpersonal relationships. Parent-child relationships were also adversely affected by recent divorce; particularly for fathers. Implications of this study for practice are enumerated for college counseling centers, family life educators, college personnel, church-affiliated campuses, legislators, family law attorneys, and family life researchers. (TE)