PARENTAL DIVORCE IN CHILDHOOD AND DEMOGRAPHIC OUTCOMES IN YOUNG ADULTHOOD

We investigated the long-term effects of parental divorce in childhood on demographic outcomes in young adulthood, using a British longitudi nal national survey of children. Our analyses control for predisruptio n characteristics of the child and the family, including emotional pro blems, cognitive achievement, and socioeconomic status. The results sh ow that by age 23, those whose parents divorced were more likely to le ave home because of friction, to cohabit, and to have a child outside marriage than were those whose parents did not divorce. Young adults w hose parents divorced, however, were no more or less likely to many or to have a child in a marriage. Moreover, even in the divorced group, the great majority did not leave home because of friction or have a ch ild outside marriage.