Are the effects of divorce on psychological distress modified by family background?

Mandemakers, Jornt J.; Monden, Christiaan; Kalmijn, Matthijs

doi:10.1016/j.alcr.2010.08.002

Cited by 16 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Therefore failure to take account of prior material disadvantage may result in misleading conclusions. Mandemakers et al [ 18 ] consider early life disadvantage to be a modifier of the association between parental divorce and psychological distress, however in our study we argue that material disadvantage is an important pathway or explanatory variable between parental separation and adult psychological health. We therefore controlled for indicators of disadvantage prior to parental separation in order to better assess whether those who experienced parental separation are more disadvantaged later, over and above their level of disadvantage prior to separation.…”

Section: Introductioncontrasting

confidence: 79%

Parental separation and adult psychological distress: an investigation of material and relational mechanisms

Lacey¹,

Bartley²,

Pikhart³

et al. 2014

BMC Public Health

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BackgroundAn association between parental separation or divorce occurring in childhood and increased psychological distress in adulthood is well established. However relatively little is known about why this association exists and how the mechanisms might differ for men and women. We investigate why this association exists, focussing on material and relational mechanisms and in particular on the way in which these link across the life course.MethodsThis study used the 1970 British Cohort Study (n = 10,714) to investigate material (through adolescent and adult material disadvantage, and educational attainment) and relational (through parent–child relationship quality and adult partnership status) pathways between parental separation (0–16 years) and psychological distress (30 years). Psychological distress was measured using Rutter’s Malaise Inventory. The inter-linkages between these two broad mechanisms across the life course were also investigated. Missing data were multiply imputed by chained equations. Path analysis was used to explicitly model prospectively-collected measures across the life course, therefore methodologically extending previous work.ResultsMaterial and relational pathways partially explained the association between parental separation in childhood and adult psychological distress (indirect effect = 33.3% men; 60.0% women). The mechanisms were different for men and women, for instance adult partnership status was found to be more important for men. Material and relational factors were found to interlink across the life course. Mechanisms acting through educational attainment were found to be particularly important.ConclusionsThis study begins to disentangle the mechanisms between parental separation in childhood and adult psychological distress. Interventions which aim to support children through education, in particular, are likely to be particularly beneficial for later psychological health.

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Section: Introductioncontrasting

confidence: 79%

Parental separation and adult psychological distress: an investigation of material and relational mechanisms

Lacey¹,

Bartley²,

Pikhart³

et al. 2014

BMC Public Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A study in Eastern Nigeria associated marital separation with shorter breast feeding duration of six months than for married mothers [ 87 ]. This is not unlikely to be associated with single, post-divorce and separation strain [ 104 , 105 ] and the likelihood of single mothers to work away from home and for longer hours [ 21 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health effects of single motherhood on children in sub-Saharan Africa: a cross-sectional study

Ntoimo

Odimegwu

2014

BMC Public Health

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BackgroundAlthough progress has been made toward reducing child morbidity and mortality globally, a large proportion of children in sub-Saharan Africa still die before age five and many suffer chronic malnutrition. This study investigated the influence of single motherhood on stunting and under-5 mortality in Cameroon, Nigeria and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Particular attention was paid to the influence of mother’s economic resources, parental care and health behaviour on the difference in children’s health in single and two-parent families.MethodsData were obtained from most recent Demographic and Health Surveys in Cameroon (2011), Nigeria (2008) and DRC (2007). The sample included women aged 15–49 years old and their under-5 children 11,748 in Cameroon, 28,100 in Nigeria, and 8,999 in DRC. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard analysis were used to estimate stunting and under-5 mortality, respectively.ResultsThe result showed that compared with children whose mothers were in union, children of single mothers who were not widows were more likely to be stunted (OR 1.79 p < 0.01 in Cameroon and 1.69 p < .01 in DRC). Economic resources and parental care significantly influenced the higher odds of stunting in single mother households in Cameroon and DRC. Relative to children of mothers in union, the risk of under-5 mortality in single mother families was higher in the three countries (HR 1.40 p < .05 in Cameroon, 1.27 p < 0.10 in DRC, 1.55 p < .01 in Nigeria). Economic resources, parental care and health behaviour accounted for the difference in Nigeria and Cameroon; in DRC, only economic resources had marginal influence.ConclusionsSingle motherhood is a risk factor for children’s nutritional status and chances of survival before age 5 years in sub-Saharan Africa. To achieve improved reduction in children’s exposure to stunting and under-5 mortality, there is the need for public health interventions targeted at single mother households in sub-Saharan Africa.

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“…A common hypothesis is that lower strata -due to more limited economic, cultural, and psychological resources -are more vulnerable for the impact of adverse events. For partner loss, disability, and (to a lesser extent) unemployment, such effects have been demonstrated, especially for education (Clark, Georgellis & Sanfey, 2001 in Germany;, 2013, Mandemakers, Monden & Kalmijn, 2010and Strully, 2009 in the USA). Whether such interactions also apply to the effects of multiple life course transitions, i.e., to simultaneous adverse events, is not known.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

From bad to worse? Effects of multiple adverse life course transitions on mental health

Mandemakers

Kalmijn

2018

LLCS

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This paper examines whether the simultaneous occurrence of two or more adverse life course transitions has a stronger effect on mental health compared to the effects of the sum of each. The focus is on four life course transitions (partner loss (divorce/separation or death), death of a parent, unemployment, disability) and the data come from a large four-wave longitudinal dataset in the Netherlands (N = 4,192 respondents). There is clear evidence that negative life course transitions tend to cluster. Of the four transitions, partner loss and disability onset have the largest negative impact on mental health but unemployment also has a clear effect. There is not only additive but also interactive accumulation during the life course: one adverse event has a more negative impact on mental health when it occurs simultaneously with another. This provides evidence on the link between 'turbulent times' in the life course and negative mental health trajectories. We did not find evidence that effects of adverse transitions depend on education.

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Are the effects of divorce on psychological distress modified by family background?

Abstract: In the research tradition examining the effects of life course transitions, the consequences of divorce for psychological distress take a prominent position (Amato

Cited by 16 publications

References 51 publications

Parental separation and adult psychological distress: an investigation of material and relational mechanisms

Parental separation and adult psychological distress: an investigation of material and relational mechanisms

Health effects of single motherhood on children in sub-Saharan Africa: a cross-sectional study

From bad to worse? Effects of multiple adverse life course transitions on mental health

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