Intergenerational relationships after parental divorce: variations by levels of family solidarity

This study examines the association between gray parental divorce and family solidarity, defined as the quality and frequency of intergenerational relationships, including contact, emotional closeness, and functional support. The analysis focuses on how the effects of gray divorce vary across families with differing levels of closeness and interaction prior to the divorce, given that families with weaker bonds—such as infrequent contact or less emotional closeness—may face greater challenges in maintaining relationships after divorce compared to those with stronger ties. To test this, I use 13 waves of longitudinal data from pairfam and recentered influence function (RIF) regression that allows to examine how the effects of parental divorce differ across the entire distribution of solidarity, distinguishing between families with weak, moderate, and strong ties. Families with lower solidarity, particularly in terms of contact frequency and emotional closeness, are more likely to experience gray parental divorce. The negative effects of parental divorce on parent–adult child relationships are also more pronounced in these families and among fathers. Conversely, families with moderate or high levels of solidarity are more resilient to the negative impacts of divorce. Accordingly, the gap in intergenerational solidarity widens across families, with low-solidarity families being more likely to experience parental divorce later in life and exhibiting more negative outcomes compared to families with stronger ties. This growing differences across families also highlight the relevancy of targeted policy interventions aimed at supporting families, particularly those with weaker ties, and addressing the unique challenges faced by fathers after divorce.