11 September 2017

Shared Custody Reduces Stress for Children

A recent study in Sweden of 807 children from different living environments found that children living in shared parental custody arrangements reported significantly less stress than children living with only one parent. These results continued to be significant when controlling for conflict between parents and conflict between parent and child. This outcome may be accounted for their worry about the parent they are rarely seeing as well as reduced time and access to the parent, their relatives, related activities and finances. This study, in addition to other research, substantiates the benefits of supporting children and families to implement a shared custody arrangement where possible with a focus on supporting all family members having active and positive relationships and training/supporting each parent with their parenting skills.

Turunen (2017). Shared Physical Custody and Children’s Experience of Stress. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 2017; 58 (5): 371