Study Shows Daughters May Instill More Divorces than Sons

By Sheryl Rentz on September 13, 2010

In a recent New York Times blog article, a study involving the causal relationship between a child’s gender and the likelihood that the child’s parents will divorce has provoked some interesting thoughts. According to the data gathered, parents of girls divorce 5% more than parents of boys do. In fact, the greater the number of daughters a couple has does in fact seem to have an effect on divorce. For example, parents who have three daughters are 10% more likely to divorce than couples who have three sons, according to supporting data gathered in 2003.

There are numerous theories as to why this trend occurs. Previous theories claim that men are more likely to help make a marriage work if sons are involved, although any sort of evidence for this theory is lacking. Currently, some believe that daughters may be viewed as better companions than sons are, and that mothers are more willing to depend on their daughters for the type of social support needed during a divorce. Essentially, if a woman has a daughter, then she does not necessarily need a husband, one theory states. Furthermore, daughters may be labeled as more helpful and/or self-sufficient upon reaching adulthood, while sons are considered more dependent, thus the reasoning why couples may choose to stay together rather than divorce.

Regardless of what the reasoning may be, divorce is a complicated matter than can become problematic very quickly. When filing for divorce in Pennsylvania, it is important to have someone on your side who has your best interests in mind at all times. At the Law Offices of Sheryl R. Rentz, our experienced Philadelphia divorce attorneys assist with a variety of legal matters surrounding divorce, including child custody and separation of assets. If you’re thinking of filing for divorce and would like a free consultation, please call our office today at 610-645-0100.