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Several researchers have noted that anecdotal evidence suggests a higher divorce rate among people whose children have special needs, perhaps because of the extra stress that a child's disability or special needs may place on a marriage. Of course, the mere existence of a special need in a child does not mean that his or her parents are likely to divorce, but one recent study indicates that there may be reason for concern.
Parents of Kids with ADHD Nearly Twice As Likely to Divorce
A study that will be published in the October issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology revealed that couples who have a child with ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) are almost twice as likely to get divorced before their child is eight years old, compared to parents of kids without ADHD.
In addition, among the two groups of couples studied who had divorced, the marriages with children diagnosed with ADHD were shorter than the marriages without children with ADHD.
Hundreds of Kids and Parents Studied
The study was conducted by researchers at the University at Buffalo. Two hundred eighty-two adolescents and young adults who had been diagnosed with ADHD in childhood completed a series of diagnostic tests and interviews, as did their parents. Their data were compared with those of 206 similar families without ADHD involvement.
Nearly 22.7 percent of the couples with kids with ADHD had divorced by the time their child was eight years old. In the non-ADHD group, the corresponding divorce rate was only 12.6 percent. After the eight-years-old mark, the divorce rates of the parents weren't significantly different.
Factors Contributing to Divorce
The study also noted that parents with a child with ADHD were more likely to:
— all of which can contribute to the move toward divorce.
(Source: Science Daily)
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