Fathers, Mothers, Sons, and Daughters: Parent–Child Relationships and the Intergenerational Transmission of Divorce
Yiran Zhang, Philip N. CohenABSTRACT
Objective
This study examines whether and how post‐divorce mother–son, mother–daughter, father–son, and father–daughter relationships buffer or amplify the intergenerational transmission of divorce (ITD).
Background
Children who experience parental divorce are more likely to divorce themselves, yet not all children are affected in the same way. The divorce‐stress‐adjustment perspective suggests that parent–child relationships after divorce may function as a key resource that enhances recovery. However, prior research has rarely examined how mother–son, mother–daughter, father–son, and father–daughter relationships after divorce condition ITD.
Method
Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97), we estimate Cox proportional hazards models to predict the risk of divorce from first marriage and the moderating role of each parent–child relationship.
Results
For sons, paternal closeness functions as a consistent protective factor for divorce, while the protective association of perceived paternal knowledge weakens among those who experienced parental divorce. Strong relationships with mothers reduce divorce risk for sons with married parents but are associated with higher divorce risk if sons experienced parental divorce. For daughters, mother–daughter relationships do not show significant effects, while father–daughter closeness, identification, and perceived knowledge consistently reduce the risk of divorce in adulthood regardless of parents' divorce status.
Conclusion
The ITD is not deterministic. Post‐divorce parent–child relationships, especially father–child closeness, are key resources for children's adjustment and resilience.
Implications
Enhancing father–child closeness after divorce and supporting mother–son relationships that balance warmth with autonomy may be beneficial to reduce the intergenerational transmission of marital instability.