Table 1

Overview of longitudinal studies on moderator effects of divorce on well-being since 2000, sorted by year of publication

AuthorsMain EffectaOutcome StudiedModerators StudiedModerator EffectbCountryData
Kim and McKenry (2002) –– Depression Gender n.s. USA NSFH 
Simon (2002) –– Depression Gender Stronger for women USA NSFH 
Johnson and Wu (2002) –– Psychological distress Marital quality Stronger for low-quality marriages USA  
Williams (2003) –– Depression, life satisfaction Gender
Marital quality 
n.s.
Stronger for high-quality marriages 
USA ACLS 
Williams and Umberson (2004) –– Self-rated health Age Stronger for older persons (men)
n.s. (women) 
USA ACLS 
Blekesaune and Barrett (2005) –– (women)
0 (men) 
Sickness absence Age
Children 
Stronger for older persons (women)
Stronger for younger persons (men)
Stronger for couples with children 
Norway Registeårs 
Strohschein et al. (2005) –– Psychological distress Gender n.s. USA NPHS 
Liu and Chen (2006) –– Depression Poverty n.s. USA NLSY 
Kalmijn and Monden (2006) –– Depression Marital quality n.s. USA NSFH 
Williams and Dunne-Bryant (2006) –– Depression, life satisfaction Gender
Children 
Stronger for womenc
Stronger for couples with children 
USA NSFH 
Andreß and Bröckel (2007) –– Life satisfaction Gender Stronger for men Germany SOEP 
Liu and Umberson (2008)d  Self-rated health Cohort Stronger for recent cohorts USA NHIS 
Mandemakers et al. (2010) –– Psychological distress SES of origin family Stronger for low-status persons UK NCDS 
Monden and Uunk (2013) Self-rated health Gender n.s. Europe ECHP 
AuthorsMain EffectaOutcome StudiedModerators StudiedModerator EffectbCountryData
Kim and McKenry (2002) –– Depression Gender n.s. USA NSFH 
Simon (2002) –– Depression Gender Stronger for women USA NSFH 
Johnson and Wu (2002) –– Psychological distress Marital quality Stronger for low-quality marriages USA  
Williams (2003) –– Depression, life satisfaction Gender
Marital quality 
n.s.
Stronger for high-quality marriages 
USA ACLS 
Williams and Umberson (2004) –– Self-rated health Age Stronger for older persons (men)
n.s. (women) 
USA ACLS 
Blekesaune and Barrett (2005) –– (women)
0 (men) 
Sickness absence Age
Children 
Stronger for older persons (women)
Stronger for younger persons (men)
Stronger for couples with children 
Norway Registeårs 
Strohschein et al. (2005) –– Psychological distress Gender n.s. USA NPHS 
Liu and Chen (2006) –– Depression Poverty n.s. USA NLSY 
Kalmijn and Monden (2006) –– Depression Marital quality n.s. USA NSFH 
Williams and Dunne-Bryant (2006) –– Depression, life satisfaction Gender
Children 
Stronger for womenc
Stronger for couples with children 
USA NSFH 
Andreß and Bröckel (2007) –– Life satisfaction Gender Stronger for men Germany SOEP 
Liu and Umberson (2008)d  Self-rated health Cohort Stronger for recent cohorts USA NHIS 
Mandemakers et al. (2010) –– Psychological distress SES of origin family Stronger for low-status persons UK NCDS 
Monden and Uunk (2013) Self-rated health Gender n.s. Europe ECHP 

aA main effect refers to a decline in well-being after divorce.

b“Stronger” means a more negative divorce effect; n.s. means no significant interaction. In some instances, two-way interactions could not be interpreted because of the presence of three-way interactions. In these cases, we do not report on the two-way interactions. The same applies to some main effects.

cDifferent interactions were found for other types of outcomes, such as alcohol abuse (see the text).

dMain effect not given.

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