Study: Divorce impacts US kids’ earnings, teen births, jail chances

    0
    0

    A recently published study reveals that U.S. children who experience parental divorce at the age of 5 or younger tend to face diminished economic prospects as adults and a greater likelihood of teen pregnancy, incarceration, or even mortality during young adulthood.
    After a divorce, families typically see their income slashed in half as they transition into separate households, struggling to regain their previous financial standing over time. Additionally, these families often relocate to lower-income neighborhoods, which present fewer economic opportunities. The study, conducted by economists from the University of California, Merced, in conjunction with the U.S. Census Bureau and the University of Maryland, highlights these transitions which result in children being separated from non-custodial parents.

    These circumstances—financial losses, quality of neighborhood decline, and reduced parental involvement due to either geographical separation or the need for increased work hours—account for 25% to 60% of the negative impact that divorce has on children’s overall outcomes. The researchers emphasize that divorce is not just an isolated legal event but rather a complex combination of changes including financial, geographical, and familial structural shifts that each contribute to the future well-being of children.

    With almost a third of American children seeing their parents divorce before reaching adulthood, it’s clear the influence is widespread. Some children of divorced parents, like former President Barack Obama and Vice President J.D. Vance, have achieved great success, despite Vance previously commenting on the ease of obtaining divorces during a 2021 address at a Christian high school in California. It’s worth noting that the U.S. divorce rate has been on a downward trajectory over recent decades, declining from over 10% in 2008 to approximately 7% in 2022, according to the Census Bureau.

    While the study did not delve into the emotional repercussions of divorce, many children of divorced parents noted ongoing emotional resonance into adulthood regardless of their age when the separation occurred. Brandon Hellan, who is now 54, shared that his parents’ divorce in his early 20s led him to view relationships as transient until he was in his mid-30s. He attributes this perspective to what he experienced as an overwhelming betrayal.

    Sociologist Philip Cohen from the University of Maryland, who was not part of the study, pointed out that while the adverse effects of divorce are highlighted, there’s no definitive view on how life would be if parents remained together. He contends that parents often make complex choices weighing their children’s welfare against personal and familial dynamics.

    Academic research on divorce’s impact on children has produced varying results. Some studies argue that conflict from unhappy marriages is damaging to children and that separation generally benefits both parties. Others highlight that divorce may lead to reduced financial stability, time with children, and emotional security. Conversely, some suggest its influence is minimal. The recent study, however, overcame previous data limitations by analyzing comprehensive sets of data from federal tax records, the Social Security Administration, and the Census Bureau concerning children born in the U.S. between 1988 and 1993.

    The researchers compared siblings’ outcomes based on the exposure duration to divorced parents during their childhood. Findings showed that children who experienced parental divorce by age 5 faced a 13% decrease in income by age 27. However, if children were older than 18 when their parents divorced, there appeared to be little to no impact. Additionally, parental divorce before age 15 increased teen pregnancy risk, though the effect diminished by age 20. Similar nullifying patterns emerged concerning incarceration risk and marriage likelihood by age 25. These divorce impacts seemed consistent across demographic lines.