Family breakups beyond childhood: Later-life parental divorce and adult sibling ties
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20377/jfr-1248Keywords:
Family Relationships, adult siblings, later-life parental divorce, fixed effectsAbstract
Objective: This study examines how later-life parental divorce is associated with changes in adult sibling relationships, focusing on contact, emotional closeness, intimacy, and conflict.
Background: Divorce is becoming increasingly common among older adults which is referred to as "gray divorce". Although couple dissolution has implications for broader family dynamics, less is known about how later-life parental divorce shapes relationships among adult children. Prior research on sibling relationships has primarily focused on childhood and adolescence and has often relied on cross-sectional designs. Understanding how later-life parental divorce relates to adult sibling ties is important, given the central role siblings play in providing emotional and practical support across the life course.
Method: We use four waves of longitudinal data from the German Family Panel and employ fixed-effects models to examine within-individual changes in sibling contact, emotional closeness, intimacy, and conflict following later-life parental divorce.
Results: The frequency of contact and emotional closeness between adult siblings decreases following later-life parental divorce. Additional analyses indicate that female-male and male-male sibling dyads are more likely to experience increased conflict after later-life parental divorce compared to female–female dyads.
Conclusion: Later-life parental divorce is associated with meaningful changes in adult sibling relationships, suggesting that its consequences extend beyond the dissolving couple. Contrary to the assumption that divorce in later life has limited implications for adult children, our findings indicate that it may reshape sibling dynamics in complex ways.
References
Aquilino, W. S. (1994). Later life parental divorce and widowhood: Impact on young adults' assessment of parent-child relations. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 56(4), 908-922. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/353602
Amato, P. R. (1987). Family processes in one-parent, stepparent, and intact families: The child’s point of view. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 49(2), 327-337. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/352303
Amato, P. R., & Sobolewski, J. M. (2001). The effects of divorce and marital discord on adult children's psychological well-being. American sociological review, 66(6), 900-921. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/000312240106600606
Arnett, J. J. (2007). Emerging adulthood: What is it, and what is it good for?. Child development perspectives, 1(2), 68-73. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-8606.2007.00016.x
Arnett, J. J., Žukauskienė, R., & Sugimura, K. (2014). The new life stage of emerging adulthood at ages 18–29 years: Implications for mental health. The Lancet Psychiatry, 1(7), 569-576. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(14)00080-7
Baham, M. E., Weimer, A. A., Braver, S. L., & Fabricius, W. V. (2008). Sibling relationships in blended families. In J. Pryor (Ed.), The international handbook of stepfamilies: Policy and practice in legal, research, and clinical environments (pp. 175–207). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118269923.ch8
Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Prentice-Hall.
Bank, S. P., & Kahn, M. D. (1982). The sibling bond. Basic Books.
Bedford, V. H. (2005). Theorizing about sibling relationships when parents become frail. In V. L. Bengtson, A. C. Acock, K. R. Allen, P. Dilworth-Anderson, & D. M. Klein (Eds.), Sourcebook of family theory and research (pp. 173–174). Sage.
Bedford, V. H., Avioli, P. S., Blieszner, R., & Bedford, V. H. (2012). Siblings in middle and late adulthood. In R. Blieszner & V. H. Bedford (Eds.), Handbook of families and aging (pp. 125–153). Praeger.
Brody, G. H., Stoneman, Z., & McCoy, J. K. (1994). Forecasting sibling relationships in early adolescence from child temperaments and family processes in middle childhood. Child Development, 65(3), 771–784. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1131417
Brown, S. L., & Lin, I. F. (2012). The gray divorce revolution: Rising divorce among middle-aged and older adults, 1990–2010. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 67(6), 731-741. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbs089
Brown, S. L., & Wright, M. R. (2017). Marriage, cohabitation, and divorce in later life. Innovation in aging, 1(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igx015
Brüderl, J., Hank, K., Huinink, J., Nauck, B., Neyer, F. J., Walper, S., … Wilhelm, B. (2016). The German Family Panel (pairfam), release 6.0 [Data set]. GESIS Data Archive. ZA5678.
Bundesinstitut für Bevölkerungsforschung. (2022). Fakten: Im jeweiligen Kalenderjahr Geschiedene je 1000 am Jahresanfang Verheiratete der Altersgruppe nach Geschlecht in Deutschland (1991–2018).
Buhrmester, D., & Furman, W. (1990). Perceptions of sibling relationships during middle childhood and adolescence. Child development, 61(5), 1387-1398. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1130750
Buyukkececi, Z. (2025). Intergenerational relationships after parental divorce: variations by levels of family solidarity. European Journal of Ageing, 22(1), 19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-025-00849-x
Buyukkececi, Z., & Çineli, B. (2024). Adult sibling relationships: The impact of cohabitation, marriage, separation, and childbearing. Journal of Marriage and Family, 86(3), 698-717. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12949
Buyukkececi, Z., & Leopold, T. (2024). Parent–child relationships following gray divorce: Stronger ties with mothers, weaker ties with fathers. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 79(5), gbae004. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbae004
Campbell, M. (1995). Divorce at mid-life: Intergenerational issues. Journal of divorce & remarriage, 23(1-2), 185-202. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1300/J087v23n01_12
Campbell, L. D., Connidis, I. A., & Davies, L. (1999). Sibling ties in later life: A social network analysis. Journal of family issues, 20(1), 114-148. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/019251399020001006
Cheadle, J. E., Amato, P. R., & King, V. (2010). Patterns of nonresident father contact. Demography, 47(1), 205-225. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/dem.0.0084
Cicirelli, V. G. (1995). Sibling relationships in cross-cultural perspective. In Sibling relationships across the life span (pp. 69-85). Springer, Boston, MA. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-6509-0_6
Conger, K. J., & Little, W. M. (2010). Sibling relationships during the transition to adulthood. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-8606.2010.00123.x
Child Development Perspectives, 4(2), 87–94.
Connidis, I. A. (2010). Family ties and aging (2nd ed.). Pine Forge Press.
Cooney, T. M. (1988). Young adults and parental divorce: Exploring important issues. Human Relations, 41(11), 805–822. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/001872678804101102
Cooney, T. M. (1994). Young adults’ relations with parents: The influence of recent parental divorce. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 56(1), 45–56. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/352700
Cooney, T. M., Smyer, M. A., Hagestad, G. O., & Klock, R. (1986). Parental divorce in young adulthood: Some preliminary findings. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 56(3), 470–477. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-0025.1986.tb03478.x
Cox, M. J., & Paley, B. (1997). Families as systems. Annual review of psychology, 48(1), 243-267. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.48.1.243
Daatland, S. O. (2007). Marital history and intergenerational solidarity: The impact of divorce and unmarried cohabitation. Journal of Social Issues, 63(4), 809–825. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2007.00538.x
DeShane, M. R., & Brown-Wilson, K. (1982). Divorce in late life: A call for research. Journal of Divorce, 4(4), 81–91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1300/J279v04n04_06
Danielsbacka, M., & Tanskanen, A. O. (2015). The association between unequal parental treatment and the sibling relationship in Finland: The difference between full and half-siblings. Evolutionary Psychology, 13(2), 492–510. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/147470491501300211
de Bel, V., Kalmijn, M., & van Duijn, M. A. J. (2019). Balance in family triads: How intergenerational relationships affect the adult sibling relationship. Journal of Family Issues, 40(18), 2707–2727. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X19860181
de Leeuw, S., Hornstra, M., & Kalmijn, M. (2025). Relationships among adult full, half, and stepsiblings: Does coresidence explain the stepgap? Journal of Marriage and Family, 87(1), 201–218. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.13027
Engfer, A. (1988). The interrelatedness of marriage and the mother–child relationship. In R. A. Hinde & J. Stevenson-Hinde (Eds.), Relationships within families: Mutual influences (pp. 104–118). Clarendon Press.
Engstler, H., & Menning, S. (2004). Families in Germany: Facts and figures. Federal Ministry for Family Affairs.
Eriksen, S., & Gerstel, N. (2002). A labor of love or labor itself: Care work among adult brothers and sisters. Journal of Family Issues, 23(7), 836–856. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/019251302236597
Furman, W., & Buhrmester, D. (1985). Children’s perceptions of the personal relationships in their social networks. Developmental Psychology, 21(6), 1016–1024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.21.6.1016
Gilligan, M., Stocker, C. M., & Jewsbury Conger, K. (2020). Sibling relationships in adulthood: Research findings and new frontiers. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 12(3), 305–320. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12385
Gilligan, M., Suitor, J. J., & Nam, S. (2015). Maternal differential treatment in later life families and within-family variations in adult sibling closeness. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 70(1), 167–177. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbu148
Gilligan, M., Suitor, J. J., Nam, S., Routh, B., Rurka, M., & Con, G. (2017). Family networks and psychological well-being in midlife. Social Sciences, 6(3), Article 94. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci6030094
Greenwood, J. L. (2014). Adult sibling relationships in the context of a mid- to late-life parental divorce. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 55(5), 391–407. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10502556.2014.920686
Grundy, E. (2005). Reciprocity in relationships: Socio-economic and health influences on intergenerational exchanges between third age parents and their adult children in Great Britain. The British Journal of Sociology, 56(2), 233–255. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-4446.2005.00057.x
Hagestad, G. O. (1986). The family: Women and grandparents as kinkeepers. In A. Pifer & L. Bronte (Eds.), Our aging society: Paradox and promise (pp. 141–160). Norton.
Hamwey, M. K., Rolan, E. P., Jensen, A. C., & Whiteman, S. D. (2019). “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”: A qualitative examination of sibling relationships during emerging adulthood. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 36(8), 2487–2506. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407518789514
Hank, K. (2021). Linked in life and death: A note on the effect of parental death on sibling relations in young and middle adulthood. Journal of Family Issues, 42(11), 2679–2690. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X20985566
Hank, K., & Steinbach, A. (2023). Sibling estrangement in adulthood. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 40(4), 1277–1287. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075221127863
Hetherington, E. M. (1988). Parents, children and siblings: Six years after divorce. In R. A. Hinde & J. Stevenson-Hinde (Eds.), Relationships within families: Mutual influences (pp. 311–331). Clarendon Press.
Hollifield, C. R., & Conger, K. J. (2015). The role of siblings and psychological needs in predicting life satisfaction during emerging adulthood. Emerging Adulthood, 3(3), 143–153. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2167696814561544
Jensen, A. C., Killoren, S. E., Campione-Barr, N., Padilla, J., & Chen, B. B. (2022). Sibling relationships in adolescence and young adulthood in multiple contexts: A critical review. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. Advance online publication. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075221104188
Jensen, A. C., Whiteman, S. D., & Fingerman, K. L. (2018). “Can’t live with or without them”: Transitions and young adults’ perceptions of sibling relationships. Journal of Family Psychology, 32(3), 385–395. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000361
Kalmijn, M. (2008). The effects of separation and divorce on parent–child relationships in ten European countries. In A. Börsch-Supan et al. (Eds.), Families, ageing and social policy: Intergenerational solidarity in European welfare states (pp. 170–193). Edward Elgar. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4337/9781848445147.00014
Kalmijn, M. (2013). Long-term effects of divorce on parent–child relationships: Within-family comparisons of fathers and mothers. European Sociological Review, 29(5), 888–898. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/esr/jcs066
Kara, D., Bauer, P. J., & Şahin-Acar, B. (2022). Transitions and transformations in sibling relationships: Characteristics of Turkish and U.S. young adults’ sibling-related turning-point memories. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. Advance online publication. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075221116793
Kim, J. Y., McHale, S. M., Osgood, D. W., & Crouter, A. C. (2006). Longitudinal course and family correlates of sibling relationships from childhood through adolescence. Child Development, 77(6), 1746–1761. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2006.00971.x
Lang, N., & Pett, M. (1992). Parental divorce: The adult child’s experience. Family Perspective, 26(1), 121–146.
MacKinnon, C. E. (1989). An observational investigation of sibling interactions in married and divorced families. Developmental Psychology, 25(1), 36–44. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037//0012-1649.25.1.36
McHale, S. M., Updegraff, K. A., & Whiteman, S. D. (2012). Sibling relationships and influences in childhood and adolescence. Journal of Marriage and Family, 74(5), 913–930. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2012.01011.x
Mikkelson, A. C. (2006). Communication among peers: Adult sibling relationships. In L. H. Turner & R. West (Eds.), Widening the family circle: New research on family communication (pp. 21–35). Sage. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781452204369.n2
Milevsky, A. (2004). Perceived parental marital satisfaction and divorce: Effects on sibling relations in emerging adults. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 41(1–2), 115–128. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1300/J087v41n01_07
Milevsky, A. (2019). Parental factors, psychological well-being, and sibling dynamics: A mediational model in emerging adulthood. Marriage & Family Review, 55(5), 476–492. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01494929.2018.1518822
Milevsky, A., Smoot, K., Leh, M., & Ruppe, A. (2005). Familial and contextual variables and the nature of sibling relationships in emerging adulthood. Marriage & Family Review, 37(4), 123–141. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1300/J002v37n04_07
Minuchin, P. (1995). Children and family therapy: Mainstream approaches and the special case of the multicrisis poor. In P. Minuchin, S. Colapinto, & J. Minuchin (Eds.), Working with families of the poor (pp. 21–45). Guilford Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/10172-006
Morrison, D. R., & Coiro, M. J. (1999). Parental conflict and marital disruption: Do children benefit when high-conflict marriages are dissolved? Journal of Marriage and the Family, 61(3), 626–637. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/353565
Mulder, C. H. (2009). Leaving the parental home in young adulthood. In A. Furlong (Ed.), Handbook of youth and young adulthood: New perspectives and agendas (pp. 203–210). Routledge.
Müller, B., & Castiglioni, L. (2015). Attrition im Beziehungs- und Familienpanel pairfam. In M. Engel & B. Jann (Eds.), Nonresponse bias (pp. 383–408). Springer VS. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-10459-7_12
Petersen, T. (2004). Analyzing panel data: Fixed- and random-effects models. In M. Hardy & A. Bryman (Eds.), Handbook of data analysis (pp. 332–345). Sage. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781848608184.n14
Pett, M. A., Lang, N., & Gander, A. (1992). Late-life divorce: Its impact on family rituals. Journal of Family Issues, 13(4), 526–552. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/019251392013004008
Pike, A., & Oliver, B. R. (2017). Child behavior and sibling relationship quality: A cross-lagged analysis. Journal of Family Psychology, 31(2), 250–259. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000248
Pollet, T. V., & Nettle, D. (2009). Birth order and adult family relationships: Firstborns have better sibling relationships than laterborns. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 26(8), 1029–1046. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407509347940
Poortman, A. R., & Voorpostel, M. (2009). Parental divorce and sibling relationships: A research note. Journal of Family Issues, 30(1), 74–91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X08322782
Repetti, R. L. (1987). Individual and common components of the social environment at work and psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(4), 710–720. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.52.4.710
Riggio, H. R. (2001). Relations between parental divorce and the quality of adult sibling relationships. Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, 36(1–2), 67–82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1300/J087v36n01_04
Scott, M. E., Booth, A., King, V., & Johnson, D. R. (2007). Postdivorce father–adolescent closeness. Journal of Marriage and Family, 69(5), 1194–1209. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2007.00441.x
Silverstein, M., & Bengtson, V. L. (1997). Intergenerational solidarity and the structure of adult child–parent relationships in American families. American Journal of Sociology, 103(2), 429–460. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/231213
Solaz, A. (2021). More frequent separation and repartnering among people aged 50 and over. Population & Societies, 586(2), 1–4.
Spitze, G., & Trent, K. (2006). Gender differences in adult sibling relations in two-child families. Journal of Marriage and Family, 68(4), 977–992. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2006.00308.x
Steinbach, A., & Hank, K. (2018). Full-, half-, and step-sibling relations in young and middle adulthood. Journal of Family Issues, 39(9), 2639–2658. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X18757829
Stocker, C. M., Gilligan, M., Klopack, E. T., Conger, K. J., Lanthier, R. P., Neppl, T. K., & Wickrama, K. A. S. (2020). Sibling relationships in older adulthood: Links with loneliness and well-being. Journal of Family Psychology, 34(2), 175–185. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000586
Strohschein, L. (2005). Parental divorce and child mental health trajectories. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67(5), 1286–1300. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2005.00217.x
Swiss, L., & Le Bourdais, C. (2009). Father–child contact after separation: The influence of living arrangements. Journal of Family Issues, 30(5), 623–652. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X08331023
Tanskanen, A. O., & Danielsbacka, M. (2014). Genetic relatedness predicts contact frequencies with siblings, nieces and nephews: Results from the Generational Transmissions in Finland surveys. Personality and Individual Differences, 69, 5–11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.04.034
Tanskanen, A. O., & Danielsbacka, M. (2020). Brothers and sisters across the life course: Eleven factors shaping relationship quality in adult siblings. In A. O. Tanskanen & M. Danielsbacka (Eds.), Brothers and sisters: Sibling relationships across the life course (pp. 25–40). Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-55985-4_2
Tomassini, M., Pestelacci, E., & Luthi, L. (2007). Social dilemmas and cooperation in complex networks. International Journal of Modern Physics C, 18(7), 1173–1185. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1142/S0129183107011212
Van Volkom, M., Machiz, C., & Reich, A. E. (2011). Sibling relationships in the college years: Do gender, birth order, and age spacing matter? North American Journal of Psychology, 13(1), 35–50.
Voorpostel, M., & Blieszner, R. (2008). Intergenerational solidarity and support between adult siblings. Journal of Marriage and Family, 70(1), 157–167. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2007.00468.x
Wellman, B., & Wortley, S. (1990). Different strokes from different folks: Community ties and social support. American Journal of Sociology, 96(3), 558–588. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/229572
White, L. (2001). Sibling relationships over the life course: A panel analysis. Journal of Marriage and Family, 63(2), 555–568. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2001.00555.x
White, L. K., & Riedmann, A. (1992). Ties among adult siblings. Social Forces, 71(1), 85–102. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/2579967
Winkeler, M., Filipp, S. H., & Boll, T. (2000). Positivity in the aged’s perceptions of intergenerational relationships: A “stake” or “leniency” effect? International Journal of Behavioral Development, 24(2), 173–182. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/016502500383296
Yu, T., Pettit, G. S., Lansford, J. E., Dodge, K. A., & Bates, J. E. (2010). The interactive effects of marital conflict and divorce on parent–adult children’s relationships. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72(2), 282–292. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00699.x
Downloads
Additional Files
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Funding data
-
European Research Council
Grant numbers 848861 (KINMATRIX)
