At the annual meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, researchers presented some interesting facts about divorce and custody, reports Pediatric News.
U.S. researchers reviewed 183 cases from family court and coded all possible variables that might affect custody outcome, including custody prior to clinic evaluation, race, income, education level, and mental health treatment.
Researchers found that mothers were four to five times more likely to receive sole custody when the father has a history of arrests, while the fathers were ten times more likely to be granted custody if the mother had been involved with family services.
Main factors against the mother receiving sole custody were history of psychiatric hospitalizations, family services involvement, annual income below $20,000, and history of substance abuse.
As for the father, factors counting against custody included arrest history, lower education level, having a child treated for mental health issues.
“These results suggest that emotional stability appears to be more relevant for mothers and a criminal record more relevant for fathers in both pre-evaluation custody arrangements and court clinic recommendations," researchers concluded.
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