IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/dem/demres/v48y2023i17.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Geographical distance between child and parent after a union dissolution in Sweden, 1974–2011

Author

Listed:
  • Jani Turunen

    (Södertörns högskola)

  • Karin Lundström

    (Statistiska centralbyrån (Statistics Sweden))

  • Maria Brandén

    (Linköpings Universitet)

Abstract

Background: Divorce is associated with a weakened relationship between the child and the nonresident parent, usually the father. This loss of contact is likely to be even further exacerbated if this parent lives at a substantial distance from the child. Objective: This paper analyzes how the distance between children and nonresident parents, the year after a parental separation, has changed during a 40-year period in Sweden, and whether this is related to changes in child custody policies. Methods: We use Swedish population register data that includes exact geographical coordinates for children and their nonresident parents in the year after separation. We analyze how average distance and the likelihood of living very close to, or very far from, a nonresident parent has changed over this period, using OLS and logistic regression models. Results: Results show a gradual decrease in the distance between children and nonresident parents from the 1970s until the early 1990s, after which the trend stalled at a low level. In 2011, 50% of all children lived within 2 kilometers of their nonresident parent. We find no evidence of direct policy effects, indicated by any sudden changes in distance after the introduction of a new custody policy. High-income parents have changed their post-divorce residential patterns at a faster pace than low-income parents. Conclusions: Our results indicate a diffusion process where distances between children and nonresident parents gradually decreased until the 1990s. Contribution: This paper demonstrates that the change has not been directly influenced by custody law reforms promoting dual parent responsibility.

Suggested Citation

  • Jani Turunen & Karin Lundström & Maria Brandén, 2023. "Geographical distance between child and parent after a union dissolution in Sweden, 1974–2011," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 48(17), pages 439-482.
  • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:48:y:2023:i:17
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2023.48.17
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol48/17/48-17.pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.4054/DemRes.2023.48.17?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Feijten Peteke & Maarten van Ham, 2007. "Residential mobility and migration of the separated," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 17(21), pages 623-654.
    2. Elizabeth Cooksey & Patricia Craig, 1998. "Parenting from a distance: The effects of paternal characteristics on contact between nonresidential fathers and their children," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 35(2), pages 187-200, May.
    3. Ariel Kalil & Magne Mogstad & Mari Rege & Mark Votruba, 2011. "Divorced Fathers’ Proximity and Children’s Long-Run Outcomes: Evidence From Norwegian Registry Data," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 48(3), pages 1005-1027, August.
    4. Ragni Hege Kitterød & Jan Lyngstad, 2012. "Untraditional caring arrangements among parents living apart," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 27(5), pages 121-152.
    5. Gunnar Andersson & Elizabeth Thomson & Aija Duntava, 2017. "Life-table representations of family dynamics in the 21st century," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 37(35), pages 1081-1230.
    6. Thomas J. Cooke & Clara Mulder & Michael Thomas, 2016. "Union dissolution and migration," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 34(26), pages 741-760.
    7. An Katrien Sodermans & Gray Swicegood & Koen Matthijs, 2013. "Characteristics of joint physical custody families in Flanders," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 28(29), pages 821-848.
    8. Frances Goldscheider & Eva Bernhardt & Trude Lappegård, 2015. "The Gender Revolution: A Framework for Understanding Changing Family and Demographic Behavior," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 41(2), pages 207-239, June.
    9. Tina Haux & Lucinda Platt, 2021. "Fathers’ Involvement with Their Children Before and After Separation," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 37(1), pages 151-177, March.
    10. Sergi Vidal & Francisco Perales & Maria Brandén & Philipp M. Lersch, 2017. "Family migration in a cross-national perspective: The importance of institutional and cultural context," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 36(10), pages 307-338.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Zuzana Zilincikova & Christine Schnor, 2023. "Trends in Distance Between Non-resident Parents and Minor Children Following Separation: Analysis of the Belgian Case, 1992–2018," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 39(1), pages 1-35, December.
    2. Zuzana Žilinčíková & Gabriela Caceres Ojeda Freitas & Christine Schnor, 2023. "Stability in children’s residential arrangements and distance to nonresident parents in the 10 years after parental separation," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 49(12), pages 295-308.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zuzana Zilincikova & Christine Schnor, 2023. "Trends in Distance Between Non-resident Parents and Minor Children Following Separation: Analysis of the Belgian Case, 1992–2018," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 39(1), pages 1-35, December.
    2. Hill Kulu & Júlia Mikolai & Michael J. Thomas & Sergi Vidal & Christine Schnor & Didier Willaert & Fieke H. L. Visser & Clara H. Mulder, 2021. "Separation and Elevated Residential Mobility: A Cross-Country Comparison," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 37(1), pages 121-150, March.
    3. Ragni Hege Kitterød & Jan Lyngstad, 2014. "Characteristics of parents with shared residence and father sole custody. Evidence from Norway 2012," Discussion Papers 780, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    4. Milla Salin & Daniel R. Meyer & Mia Hakovirta & Eija Lindroos, 2024. "Factors Associated with the Joint Physical Custody of European Children," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 43(4), pages 1-25, August.
    5. Christine Schnor & Julia Mikolai, 2020. "Remain, leave, or return? Mothers’ location continuity after separation in Belgium," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 42(9), pages 245-292.
    6. Roselinde Wiel & Niels Kooiman & Clara H. Mulder, 2021. "Family Complexity and Parents’ Migration: The Role of Repartnering and Distance to Non-Resident Children," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 37(4), pages 877-907, November.
    7. Linus Andersson, 2023. "The Role of Gender Differences in Partnering and Re-partnering for Gender Differences in Completed Fertility," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(2), pages 1-28, April.
    8. Marika Jalovaara & Gunnar Andersson, 2018. "Disparities in Children’s Family Experiences by Mother’s Socioeconomic Status: The Case of Finland," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 37(5), pages 751-768, October.
    9. Ragni Hege Kitterød & Jan Lyngstad, 2013. "Comparing mothers' and fathers' reports on the non-resident father's contact with his children," Discussion Papers 744, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    10. Carole Bonnet & Bertrand Garbinti & Anne Solaz, 2022. "Does Part-Time Mothering Help Get a Job? The Role of Shared Custody in Women’s Employment," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 38(5), pages 885-913, December.
    11. Christine Schnor & Jan Van Bavel & Sofie Vanassche, 2017. "Stepfather or biological father? Education-specific pathways of postdivorce fatherhood," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 37(51), pages 1659-1694.
    12. Astrid Würtz Rasmussen & Leslie S. Stratton, 2016. "How distance to a non-resident parent relates to child outcomes," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 829-857, December.
    13. Daniel R. Meyer & Md Moshi Ul Alam & Marcia Carlson, 2022. "Increases in shared custody after divorce in the United States," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 46(38), pages 1137-1162.
    14. Lívia Murinkó, 2019. "Housing consequences of divorce and separation in a 'super home ownership' regime: The case of Hungary," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 40(34), pages 975-1014.
    15. Zuzana Žilinčíková & Christine Schnor, 2021. "Who moves out and who keeps the home? Short-term and medium-term mobility consequences of grey divorce in Belgium," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 45(9), pages 291-328.
    16. Diederik Boertien & Juho Härkönen, 2018. "Why does women’s education stabilize marriages? The role of marital attraction and barriers to divorce," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 38(41), pages 1241-1276.
    17. Martin Kolk & Gunnar Andersson, 2020. "Two Decades of Same-Sex Marriage in Sweden: A Demographic Account of Developments in Marriage, Childbearing, and Divorce," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(1), pages 147-169, February.
    18. Kirsten van Houdt, 2023. "Separation as an accelerator of housing inequalities: Parents’ and children’s post-separation housing careers in Sweden," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 49(4), pages 47-82.
    19. Juul Spaan & Ruben Gaalen & Matthijs Kalmijn, 2022. "Disentangling the Long-term Effects of Divorce Circumstances on Father–Child Closeness in Adulthood: A Mediation Analysis," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 38(5), pages 1183-1211, December.
    20. Clara Mulder, 2018. "Putting family centre stage: Ties to nonresident family, internal migration, and immobility," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 39(43), pages 1151-1180.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    child custody; divorce; living arrangements; geographical distance; postdivorce parenting;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:48:y:2023:i:17. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Editorial Office (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.demogr.mpg.de/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.