Marriages and psychological distress among adult offspring of divorce: A Norwegian study

Abstract

The study compares the likelihood of getting married and of getting divorced among the adult offspring of divorced parents versus the adult offspring of parents who remain married (total N = 37,230). It also compares levels of psychological distress in the two groups (total N= 22,898). Data derive from The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) and population registries from Norway. Individuals with divorced parents tended to delay marriage or not marry at all. However, among those who married, there were more divorces among the offspring of divorced parents than among offspring of parents who were still married. Offspring of divorce tended to marry other offspring of divorce. These marriages were at especially high risk of dissolution. Parental divorce was particularly influential as a risk factor during the first years of marriage. Both parental divorce and the individuals' own divorce were risk factors for psychological distress.

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

“…He did not find such an interaction effect for men. Storksen et al (2007), however, presented opposite results using Norwegian data. They found no interaction effect for women but find that for men parental divorce worsens the effects of own divorce.…”

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“…Parental divorce was particularly influential as a risk factor during the first years of marriage. Both parental divorce and the individuals' own divorce were risk factors for psychological distress (Storksen et al, 2007).…”

Parental Divorce and Couples’ Adjustment During the Transition to Parenthood: The Role of Parent-Adult Child Relationships

“…Results of a meta-analysis showed that the long-term effects of divorce are, relatively speaking, more serious than its short-term effects (Amato & Keith, 1991). Although there are some notable exceptions in the literature (Doucet & Aseltine, 2003), most studies concur that parental divorce is associated with lowered psychological wellbeing (Amato & Sobolewski, 2001;Rodgers, Power, & Hope, 1997) and lowered happiness (Knox et al, 2004) in adulthood, less commitment to and less confidence in one's own marriage (Jacquet & Surra, 2001;Whitton, Rhoades, Stanley, & Markman, 2008), and a higher incidence of unstable marriages (Storksen, Røysamb, Gjessing, Moum, & Tambs, 2007).…”