Eh. Maier et Me. Lachman, Consequences of early parental loss and separation for health and well-being in midlife, INT J BEHAV, 24(2), 2000, pp. 183-189
We examined the impact of parental death and divorce prior to age 17 on phy
sical and mental wellbeing in a national probability sample of middle-aged
adults. The results suggest that, for men, parental divorce was associated
with less positive relations with others, less self-acceptance, lower envir
onmental mastery, and greater depression. Parental divorce predicted higher
levels of physical health problems for both men and women. This relationsh
ip was mediated by income, education, drug use, and family support and was
greater for men than women. Parental death predicted more autonomy for men
and a higher likelihood of depression for women. The results contribute to
understanding the developmental pathways involved in linking early life exp
eriences to adulthood outcomes.