Why parents of daughters are more likely to divorce

A new study claims risk of divorce increases with children's ages and teenage daughters can put relationships at even greater risk.

For the study, researchers examined registry data from The Netherlands. The data included dates of weddings, births and divorces. The information gathered also helped researchers discover the gender of couples' children and at what age the child was when couples separated, according to a report by the Daily Mail.

They found till the age of 12 the risk of divorce was the same for parents of boys and girls. However, it was between the ages of 13 and 18 that parents of first-born girls divorced more than those of first-born boys. Parents of teenage daughters face a 5% higher risk of divorces than those with teenage sons.

Why? Scientists believe there are several reasons. One theory put forth is the social or cultural preference for sons. Another is that boys need a male role model that makes fathers more committed to the marriage. Strained relationships between parents and their daughters might push a couple to their breaking point as well.

However, the team took their research a step further and found couples were at a reduced risk of getting divorced if the fathers grew up with a sister.

"Our hypothesis is that the fathers who had more experience relating to teenage girls (via their sisters) would experience fewer relationship strains with their teenage daughters," Researchers Dr Jan Kabatek and Dr David Ribar, research fellows at the University of Melbourne is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.

Understanding teenage girls and their family interaction, as well as having a forward way of thinking toward gender roles may be the reason for this difference.

The study's findings could help researchers understand the contributing factors to family breakdown.