Parental Divorce Before Age 5 Linked to 55% Higher Risk of Early Death, Study Finds
New research on over 5 million children reveals that early parental separation significantly raises risks of teen pregnancy, incarceration, and early mortality.
Watan-A new study has found that children whose parents separate before the age of five are 55% more likely to die early.
According to Newsweek magazine, researchers analyzed data from more than 5 million children born between 1988 and 1993, focusing on their health and the relationship status of their parents.
The study revealed that children who experienced parental divorce at age five or younger face a wide range of long-term difficulties.
These include lower socioeconomic status, reduced educational attainment, higher chances of teenage pregnancy, incarceration, and ultimately, early mortality.
A major cause of these issues is the disruption and instability caused by divorce, the researchers explained.
“While lower income and educational outcomes are serious problems with deep consequences,” the researchers wrote, “what concerned us most was that experiencing parental divorce before age five increases the risk of teen pregnancy by about 60% and early death by up to 55%.”
The authors clarified that the study does not evaluate the effects of staying in toxic or abusive marriages, and should not discourage anyone in a harmful relationship from seeking help or considering separation.
“We want to make clear,” the researchers stated, “that these findings should not prevent someone in a deeply damaging or abusive situation from seeking support or even divorce.”
The results are in line with previous research. A 2017 study found that children of divorced parents experienced more frequent health issues as adults. Another 2014 study showed that parental separation can increase behavioral problems in children.
