Parental divorce ups stress in teenage kids

Washington: A new research has found that separation or divorce between parents sharpen the risk of psychosomatic problems in their teen kids.

The research led by BMJ explained that children whose parents split up were more prone to emotional and behavioral problems than those who live in a nuclear family with two co-habiting parents, and also joint custody seems to be less problematic than sole custody.

The researchers examined 150,000 Swedish children of 12 and 15 years and observed over three living categories i.e. staying with one parent after divorce, alternating between parents as part of a joint custody and living with both parents in a nuclear family.

The study showed that girls had more psychosomatic and problems psychosomatic ill health than boys at both ages, but teens living mostly with one parent were reported the most psychosomatic problems, while those living with both parents in a nuclear family set-up had the fewest problems.

On the other hand, children living in joint custody arrangements had fewer psychosomatic problems than the kids who were living with one parent, but they still had more psychosomatic problems than children living with both parents in a nuclear family.

The research is published online in the journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.