What Do Studies Say About Shared Custody?

For years, parents of divorce have wondered how to make the situation as easy as possible for their children. Entirely reducing the pain of its impact is unfortunately impossible, but there are ways of lessening it.

This includes considering what type of custody to go for. For many, this may well come in the form of joint or shared custody.

Stability of Home Life and Emotions

Psychology Today looks at new data emerging about shared custody. For years now, studies have continued to show that joint custody holds numerous benefits for children of divorce. As more children in these situations grow into adulthood, more studies continue to highlight the same results.

First, many of these children seem to have a more stable home life, resulting in better emotional coping. Children of sole custody have a higher rate of lashing out at peers and getting into trouble with authority figures.

As adults, children of joint custody have lower rates of addiction, often used as a coping mechanism for some. This includes all forms of addiction such as gambling, drugs, alcohol, smoking and more.

These same children also have healthier relationships in both the platonic and romantic sense.

What Causes these Differences?

Many studies point to the support and presence of both parents as a major contributing factor to this. Many children of divorce fear uncertainty, changes, and instability more than anything else. Joint custody serves as a major way of dissuading all of these fears.

While joint custody does not work for everyone, it can certainly provide a child with additional stability in a situation where they need it the most.