Men whose parents were divorced before they turned 18 are two to three times more likely to seriously consider suicide, according to a new study conducted by Dr. Fuller-Thomson.
However, women whose parents divorced before that same age were not as affected. They were also plagued by increased thoughts of suicide but they were more often linked to other traumatic events. Conducted at the University of Toronto, the study reveals that since children are more likely to be taken into custody by their mothers, the reduced contact with a male role model could be significant in the way men thought later on in life. Fuller-Thomson adds that "other research has indicated a positive father figure is very important for young men and boys, to develop their gender identity and learn ways to regulate their emotions and enhance their mental health."
It is important to add that thought of suicide only affected a small amount of those in the study, and that parents considering divorce now shouldn't take this research to mean that that their children could be at risk.
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