Researchers have discovered when the "empty nest syndrome" is most pronounced.

Children eventually grow up and leave their family home to pursue education, start their own families, or simply live independently. During this time, parents may experience a range of negative emotions, often referred to by psychologists as the "empty nest syndrome." A group of researchers from Germany conducted a study involving nearly five thousand participants to determine when a child's transition to independent living has the most significant impact on parents' psychological well-being.

2024-11-12 10:01:13https://naked-science.ru/article/psy/sindrom-pustogo-gnezda

An article about a recent study was published in the journal Advances in Life Course Research. As the authors explained, they were motivated to explore this topic due to the contradictory findings in prior research. Some studies reported that as a result of the "empty nest syndrome," parents might experience depression, confusion, feelings of loss, and a decline in their sense of well-being. However, several publications highlighted positive effects, noting that the departure of children reduced the burden and stress of parental responsibilities, which could positively impact overall life satisfaction.

To investigate this issue, the researchers utilized data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (German Socio-Economic Panel, SOEP) — a long-term survey conducted among the adult population of Germany since 1984. Topics covered in the survey include family composition, occupation and employment status, income level, health, and life satisfaction.

The specialists clarified that they limited their sample to surveys conducted between 1991 and 2016, focusing on participants aged 19 to 65. Additionally, the analysis included only data from West Germany.

By applying statistical methods, the researchers found that the departure of the first child from the parental home was associated with the most significant decline in life satisfaction for both fathers and mothers, particularly if this was their only child.

In larger families, the transition to adulthood of other children, including the youngest, had little impact on the parents and their psychological well-being. In a comment to the Daily Mail, one of the study's authors pointed out that when the last child leaves the parental home, the mother and father already know what to expect and how to cope with the situation.

Analysis of SOEP data also revealed that due to the "empty nest syndrome," life satisfaction significantly decreased among stay-at-home mothers. The loss of the parental role for these women may lead to issues with social identity, the researchers stated.

However, a similar negative effect was observed among working fathers. According to the researchers, this can be attributed to regret over missed opportunities to spend more time with their children and build closer relationships with them.

With the departure of children from the family, parents also experienced a decline in satisfaction with their household income. The authors of the new article linked this to continued financial support for children after they moved out.

The researchers emphasized the significance of their findings but warned that various unaccounted factors and family events could have influenced the analysis results. They also noted the observational nature of the study, which complicates establishing causal relationships, and acknowledged the limited sample size.