What the Longevity Project Tells Us About Divorce And Children

Recently I praised Colorado state Senator Kevin Lundberg for not introducing a bill that would have forced a mandatory cooling off period on divorcing Colorado couples. The purpose of the period would have been for couples to attend counseling about the effects of divorce on children. It’s not that I’m not favor of education, I’m just not in favor of the government mandating this or even pre-marriage counseling. Some commenters in support of Lundberg’s efforts cited “The Longevity Project” as evidence that couples should stay married for the sake of their children.

Curious, I decided to examine The Longevity Project(Howard. Friedman, Ph.D & Leslie R. Martin, Ph.D, Hudson Street Press, 2011). What does it tell us about divorce and children?

Divorce is just one of the many topics examined in this study, which was started in 1921 and has tracked some 1,500 boys and girls throughout their lives, aimed at finding the answers to a long life. Other topics include gender, activity, career, religion and social life. Most of the participants are no longer with us, however there is one — a physician who’s still healthy at 100.

Read More: The Huffington Post