When going through divorce, parents have to consider what option they want to go with for custody of their children.
Many options have viability, but two serve as the most common. Sole custody and joint custody, or shared custody, often end up as the choice for divorcing parents. But does one have an edge over the other?
Developing healthy reactions
Divorce Magazine talks about joint custody as an option for divorcing parents. Studies have shown that joint custody provides numerous notable benefits for children of divorce, especially when compared with sole custody.
Some studies show that joint custody children have better coping mechanisms. They seem to react to stressful situations in a healthier way and invest their time and energy in solutions that do not cause additional harm.
Mental health impacts
They also seem to have fewer instances of reported issues with anxiety, depression and trauma or stress-related disorders. Those who do report it tend to have less severe problems, fewer issues, or a better handle on how to manage and cope with the problems that manifest.
Studies speculate that this discrepancy exists because of the stability that children of joint custody experience compared to children of sole custody. In a two-parent household, a child can turn to two separate people for validation, support and reassurance.
Additionally, losing this system of two-parent support after divorce can do a lot of damage to a child’s psyche and make them feel like their entire reality has less stability than before. This can lead to lashing out and acting out in addition to the aforementioned issues, making sole custody a less favored option.
