Pennsylvania parents who are going through a divorce often fear the impact it will have on their children. Many try to reduce the stress on the kids in any way possible, while simultaneously the time each parent has with their children can become a pain point in divorce proceedings. New studies favor splitting the time children have between parents as the healthiest option.
According to the Boston Herald, a literature review by a researcher at Wake Forest University found that children whose parents split custody had better outcomes than those raised primarily by one parent. Traditionally this has been done to prevent children from being the center of parental disputes. In fact, although 80 percent of custody hearings in America end up awarding primary custody to mothers, the researcher found that this might actually increase conflict. The study showed that the bonds between parent and child mattered more than any conflict the parents were having with one another, and children who were able to have close relationships with both parents did best.
Likewise, a study from Sweden reported by Science Daily found that young children who shared time with both parents had fewer issues. The teachers and parents of 3,656 preschool children were surveyed to find any psychological or behavioral issues. Children who were being raised either entirely or primarily by one parent had more issues reported by both the teachers and the parents. In reports by parents, there was no real difference between children of joint custody or children from families that had both parents, but teachers did report that children with the fewest issues lived with intact nuclear families.
For more information, contact Louis Wm. Martini, attorney at law.