Dr Linda NielsenA roundup of 60 research studies published by Linda Nielsen shows that joint physical custody (shared parenting) is linked to better outcomes for children on all the measures of behavioural, emotional, physical and academic wellbeing, compare with sole physical custody.
This meta-analysis published in the Journal of Child Custody considers results from studies published in English which had statistically analysed quantitative data that considered outcomes for children in shared or sole parental care after considering both family income and parental conflict. These factors are sometimes considered to affect the likelihood of successful shared care, but Nielsen’s analysis showed that shared parenting is generally linked to better outcomes independent of either factor.
This does not mean that children do not benefit in any way from living in higher income households or experiencing low levels of conflict between their parents, but better outcomes can occur even in low income or conflicted situations. Given this, it is suggested that the quality of the children’s relationships with their parents, step-parents and grandparents are more important indicators of wellbeing.
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