Parental separation and mental health problems among university students

Parental separation is a risk factor for mental health problems among children and adolescents, but less is known about how parental separation relates to mental health in young adults pursuing higher education. We examined whether students with separated parents are more likely to report mental disorders and psychological distress than students without separated parents.

Data were drawn from the national Norwegian SHOT2022 survey (N = 52,968) of university students aged 18-35. Associations between parental separation and mental health were examined using log-link binomial regressions for self-reported disorders and ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions for psychological distress.

Students with separated parents reported higher levels of psychological distress and were more likely to report a range of mental disorders, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. These associations were generally modest and consistent across genders. Time since parental separation was positively and linearly associated with psychological distress, with students whose parents had separated longer ago reporting higher levels than those whose parents had separated more recently.

University students with separated parents have a higher risk of self-reported mental disorders and report higher levels of psychological distress than peers. The results highlight that parental separation remains relevant for understanding variations in mental health also among university students.