Study Shows U.S. Children Of Divorce Before Age 5 Earn Less As Adults & Face Higher Risk Of Teen Pregnancy, Incarceration & Early Death

Study Shows U.S. Children Of Divorce Before Age 5 Earn Less As Adults & Face Higher Risk Of Teen Pregnancy, Incarceration & Early Death

A new study reveals that U.S. children whose parents divorce by age 5 face long-term setbacks, including lower earnings, higher risks of teen pregnancy, incarceration, and early death. “These changes in family life reveal that, rather than an isolated legal shock, divorce represents a bundle of treatments — including income loss, neighborhood changes, and family restructuring,” the economists wrote.

Divorce often cuts household income in half, forcing families into lower-income areas and straining parental involvement due to increased workloads or distance. These combined factors accounted for 25% to 60% of the negative impact on children.

The study tracked children born from 1988 to 1993 using linked federal tax, Social Security, and Census data. It found that kids whose parents divorced before age 5 earned 13% less by age 27. Divorce had little impact when it occurred after age 18.

Despite the decline in the U.S. divorce rate, the emotional effects can linger for decades, as many adult children attest.

Are you surprised by these findings?