eli5 Why do we compared married vs divorce for childhood outcomes, shouldn’t the comparison be those who were going to divorce vs those who were divorced?

Question

Seems kinda obvious a happy marriage is going to be better than a divorce. Shouldn’t the comparison be between an unhappy marriage and a divorce?

In: Other

Answer 1

I know we hear about the clear-cut.Black and white between the two a lot, but I promise this does get studied. Everything gets studied. What times do you hear about?What’s political or what’s convenient, of course.

I’d never be able to find it, but somewhere between eight and twelve years ago, I read a study on r/science about negative psychological outcomes in young women with fathers who were depressed, but not alcoholics. THAT study linked to one about negative outcomes in young women raised by unhappily married dads, AND pinpointed sexual frustration among fathers as having affected childrens’ later interpersonal relationships.

So much gets studied, but pop-psychology doesnt discuss it, usually.