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Gender Differences in the Consequences of Divorce: A Multiple-Outcome Comparison of Former Spouses

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  • Thomas Leopold

Abstract

This study examined gender differences in the consequences of divorce for multiple measures of psychological, economic, and domestic well-being. I used household panel data from the German SOEP, retaining the link between initially married couples (N = 755) to compare both spouses over a period of up to four years before and after divorce. Findings showed that men were more vulnerable to short-term declines in subjective measures of well-being, whereas women experienced longer-term disadvantages in objective economic status. Taken together, these results suggest that women’s disproportionate income strain is chronic, whereas men’s disproportionate psychological and domestic strain is not.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Leopold, 2016. "Gender Differences in the Consequences of Divorce: A Multiple-Outcome Comparison of Former Spouses," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 841, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp841
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Berntsen, Kjersti Norgård & Kravdal, Øystein, 2012. "The relationship between mortality and time since divorce, widowhood or remarriage in Norway," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(12), pages 2267-2274.
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    3. Strohschein, Lisa & McDonough, Peggy & Monette, Georges & Shao, Qing, 2005. "Marital transitions and mental health: Are there gender differences in the short-term effects of marital status change?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(11), pages 2293-2303, December.
    4. Suzanne Bianchi & Lekha Subaiya & Joan Kahn, 1999. "The gender gap in the economic well-being of nonresident fathers and custodial mothers," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 36(2), pages 195-203, May.
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    6. Gert G. Wagner & Joachim R. Frick & Jürgen Schupp, 2007. "The German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP) – Scope, Evolution and Enhancements," Schmollers Jahrbuch : Journal of Applied Social Science Studies / Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, vol. 127(1), pages 139-169.
    7. Shor, Eran & Roelfs, David J. & Bugyi, Paul & Schwartz, Joseph E., 2012. "Meta-analysis of marital dissolution and mortality: Reevaluating the intersection of gender and age," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(1), pages 46-59.
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    Cited by:

    1. Wilfred Uunk & Paula Hoffmann, 2023. "Do Personality Traits Moderate the Effects of Cohabitation, Separation, and Widowhood on Life Satisfaction? A Longitudinal Test for Germany," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 141-157, January.

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