Self-reported Psychological Well-being among Adult Children of Divorce in Sweden

Data from the 1991 Swedish Level of Living Survey (LNU) was analysed to study the long-term impact of parental divorce on the adult individual's self-reported psychological well-being. The results show that neither women nor men who experienced parental divorce during childhood fare poorer than women and men from intact families. Instead, the decisive factor is whether or not the individual experienced severe conflict in the family of origin. Respondents who grew up in intact families characterized by serious dissension report the lowest level of psychological well- being, followed by those who experienced conflict and parental divorce.