Long-term effects of parental divorce timing on depression: A population-based longitudinal study.
BACKGROUND
We examined the long-term effects of parental divorce timing on depression using longitudinal data from the Korean Welfare Panel Study.


METHODS
Depression symptoms were measured using the 11 items of Center for Epidemiologic Scale for Depression (CES-D-11), and we categorized parental divorce timing into 'early childhood', 'adolescent' and 'none'.


RESULTS
Although participants who experienced parental divorce during adolescence exhibited a significantly higher CES-D-11 score ( p = .0468), 'early childhood' participants displayed the most increased CES-D-11 score compared to the control group ( p = .0007). Conversely, among participants who were unsatisfied with their marriage, those who experienced parental divorce in early childhood showed lower CES-D-11 scores, while 'adolescent period' participants exhibited significantly higher CES-D-11 scores ( p = .0131).


CONCLUSIONS
We concluded that timing of parental divorce exerts substantial yet varied effects on long-term depression symptoms and future marriage satisfaction.
1 Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|2 Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Sung-Youn
SY
Chun
2 Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|3 Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Suk-Yong
SY
Jang
1 Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|2 Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jae-Woo
JW
Choi
2 Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|3 Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jaeyong
J
Shin
2 Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.|3 Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Eun-Cheol
EC
Park
CES-D; Parental divorce; adolescent; childhood; depression