A new working paper from SOFI shows that a six-month reconsideration reconsideration in divorce can reduce the risk of separation and provide children with better opportunities to complete high school.
A new working paper from SOFI shows that a six-month reconsideration reconsideration in divorce can reduce the risk of separation and provide children with better opportunities to complete high school.
The study Divorce Law Reform, Family Stability, and Children’s Long-Term Outcomes examines how a six-month parental reconsideration period in divorce affects family stability and children’s long-term educational outcomes. The findings reveal that the reconsideration period significantly reduces the likelihood of divorce, both in the short and long term. Additionally, children from families influenced by the reconsideration period are more likely to complete high school. This suggests that a mandatory reconsideration period can positively impact children’s upbringing and future opportunities.
The author Edvin Hertegård, a researcher at SOFI, investigates how children are affected by divorce legislation by analyzing Sweden’s 1974 reform of divorce laws. Following the reform, families with children under the age of 16 were required to undergo a mandatory six-month waiting period before finalizing a divorce. To measure the impact, the study leverages variations in the number of years a family was exposed to the reconsideration period, based on age differences between siblings. Families with similar sibling age gaps were compared before and after the reform to isolate the effects of the waiting period.
Reconsideration Period Reduces Divorce Risk
The study finds that families with more years of exposure to the reconsideration period (due to sibling age differences) were significantly less likely to divorce after the reform was implemented. Families with older children, who were not affected by the reform, showed no change in divorce rates. The effect on divorce risk persists for at least 15 years, indicating that the reconsideration period influences divorce decisions both in the short and long term.
Stable Families Support Better Educational Outcomes
Children from families more affected by the reconsideration period were also more likely to complete high school. The reconsideration period promotes family stability, and parents in more stable families—whether or not they ultimately divorce—appear to invest more in their children’s education and development. Furthermore, the reconsideration period did not negatively impact parents’ income or health.
Implications of the Results
Divorce legislation can have significant consequences for families. A mandatory reconsideration period allows families on the verge of divorce to reconsideration their decision. The study also shows that more stable families are better positioned to invest in their children’s education and future, leading to improved educational outcomes for children in the long term.
This research is part of SOFI Working Papers in Labour Economics , No. 1/2025, authored by Edvin Hertegård. For inquiries, contact edvin.hertegard@sofi.su.se .
Labour economics is a very broad research field. In addition to research on labour market outcomes, such as wages and employment, the AME unit studies both elementary and higher education, health, taxes and income transfers, politics, crime and punishment, and gender equality.
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