Link between Parental Separation and Decreased Performance in French High School Students - Abstract
Extensive evidence suggests that parental separation during childhood correlates with negative outcomes in offspring. However, the importance of parental separation relative to the presence of a stepparent remains poorly documented. Involving a sample of 639 French university students, we investigated the link between parental separation and academic performance, as measured by the level of success demonstrated at high school final exam (Baccalauréat). We showed that students who experienced parental separation scored significantly lower at this exam. More precisely, absence of the father during the year of preparation for the Baccalauréat was negatively associated with exam score, particularly when the students lived with their single mother. The presence of a stepfather could compensate partly for the absence of the biological father and lead to an intermediate score. The effects were independent of the child’s sex. These results are discussed in the context of evolutionary theories of parental investment.