Study: Children Suffer Effects of Parents’ Divorce into Adulthood

With one out of every two marriages currently ending in divorce, marital separation is no longer the taboo subject it once was. However, a new study from the UK suggests that even though divorces are now more commonplace, the mental impact these separations have on children has not decreased.

In fact, researchers claim that not only does divorce adversely affect children during and immediately after their parent’s separation, it continues to affect their mental stability well into adulthood.

Plus: Helping Little Ones Cope with Divorce

According to the study, family breakdown during childhood is “consistently associated with psychological distress in adulthood during people’s early 30s”.

The report goes on to specify, “People who suffer stresses such as parental divorce in childhood are at a higher risk of social and psychological problems later in their adult lives.”

Plus: Explaining Divorce to Children

In contrast, children raised in two-parent households were seen to have better health, positive social lives, and more rewarding careers.

“Children whose parents remain married throughout the early childhood years are less likely to suffer from breathing problems such as asthma, to become overweight, or to be injured in accidents by the time they are five years old than children who have experienced a more unstable family situation,” said researcher Mel Bartley.

Did you divorce your partner after having a child? How did you handle your child's anxieties regarding the split? Leave a comment and let us know.