Happy Teenagers Divorce More as Adults, Study Says

Happy Teenagers Divorce More as Adults, Study Says

There have been plenty of studies linking a divorce in adulthood to a troubled or abused childhood.  However, a curious new study finds that happy teenagers have a higher risk of being divorced as adults. 

Study Background

Psychologists at the University of Cambridge and the MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Aging used data from more than 2,700 individuals over a period of several decades.  As children, these individuals, aged 13 and 15, were rated on positive attributes, such as levels of happiness and energy, as well as negative conduct and emotional problems.  These ratings were then analyzed in relation to the individual’s relationships, work experience, mental health and social life as adults. 

Study Findings: A Mixed Bag

Researchers found that individuals who had received high, positive ratings as teenagers were:

• More likely to achieve high rates of well-being as adults;
• 60 percent less likely to suffer mental disorders compared to teenagers who had received negative ratings; and, surprisingly
• More likely to get divorced as adults.

Drawing Conclusions

The reasons the for higher divorce rates may not be as complex or intriguing as New Jersey divorce attorneys believe.  It could simply be a matter of happy adults being more confident about their options in life and being better able to walk away from a bad situation or a bad marriage, the researchers suggest.

The New Jersey family lawyers at Helmer Paul Conley and Kasselman represent persons in cases relating to divorce, child custody, child support, visitation rights,  relocation, domestic violence, and other family law-related matters.