Research examines impact of divorce on children's academic performance

Research indicates that nearly one-third of children in the United States experience parental divorce before the age of 18. Studies show that divorce is associated with lower test scores, reduced classroom engagement, and diminished long-term educational attainment.

A meta-analysis by sociologist Paul Amato, published in the Journal of Family Psychology, found that children from divorced families score lower on measures of academic achievement, conduct, and psychological adjustment compared to peers from continuously married households. One analysis reported that children of divorce performed 0.17 standard deviations lower on academic achievement measures.

The severity of these academic impacts often depends on the level of conflict children witness and the degree of cooperation between parents following the separation.