K.Shafer, T.M. Jensen & E.K. Holmes (2017) Journal of Child and Family Studies, 26(3), 851–862.
Most studies look at either divorce or new step-families.
This study looks at both.
Young adults who had had stressful experiences of both had higher levels of depression.
We know that divorce can have some long term negative effects on a child, but there seems to be an interaction between these and the effects of a new step-family which makes some individuals feel very low. This reminds us that even if we as adults are more happy when we meet a new partner, our children may not feel that. Give your child time and space to get used to their new step-parent and try to keep this merging of families as stress-free as possible.
