(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Selena Gomez struggled with her parents' divorce because she wanted a family "so bad".

The 18-year-old singer-and-actress was raised by her mother Mandy after she split from the star's father Ricardo. The pair parted ways when Selena was very young and the star struggled to cope with the split. She couldn't understand why they were unable to stay together and wished they would reunite.

"I wanted a family so bad. I wanted to have my dad and my mom together. So it was really, it was really hard," she explained on E! Entertainment Special: Selena Gomez, which airs later this month.

Selena's mother is also an actress, although on stage rather than in movies. The star has previously admitting getting angry when her mom kissed Santa Claus during a play when she was little, as she thought it had scuppered her chances of working things out with her father.

Selena also discusses fame in the television special, explaining she's learnt to embrace the changes it has brought to her life. She's amazed so many fans look up to her, and is determined to do right by them.

"I never really said I want to be a role model. But then when it happened I was so down for it," she explained. "I'm human, I'm not perfect. I make mistakes all the time, but I guess my job is to keep those mistakes to myself, which I'm already fine doing and just try to be the best I can be for those kids."

Although Selena tries hard to remain grounded, she admits sometimes that's hard. She's currently dating Justin Bieber and at times her success and jetsetter lifestyle goes to her head.

"This is a very superficial job," she said. "I sit in a chair for two hours and get hair and make-up done and talk about [myself] in interviews. That's a very vain thing to do. And I do get caught up in it sometimes." (C) Cover Media