JOURNAL ARTICLE

Parent–Child Relationships Following Gray Divorce: Stronger Ties With Mothers, Weaker Ties With Fathers.

  • Published In: Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences & Social Sciences, 2024, v. 79, n. 5. P. 1 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Buyukkececi, Zafer; Leopold, Thomas 3 of 3

Abstract

This article examines the impact of gray divorce—divorce occurring in later life—on relationships between older parents and their adult children, using longitudinal data from the German Family Panel (Pairfam). The study finds that gray divorce leads to increased contact and emotional closeness between adult children and their mothers, while relationships with fathers tend to weaken, particularly in terms of contact frequency and emotional closeness. These effects are more pronounced for daughters than sons, reflecting persistent gender role dynamics in family solidarity. The findings highlight that gray divorce reshapes intergenerational support patterns, potentially increasing social isolation risks for fathers and emphasizing the critical role of adult children, especially daughters, in providing support to divorced mothers.

Additional Information

  • Source:Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences & Social Sciences. 2024/05, Vol. 79, Issue 5, p1
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Health and Medicine
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:1079-5014
  • DOI:10.1093/geronb/gbae004
  • Accession Number:177017106
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences & Social Sciences is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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