Profiles of Maternal Well-Being in Germany: Do Post-Separation Physical Custody Arrangements Matter?

Abstract

ABSTRACT A higher share of parents practices shared physical custody (SPC) upon separation and SPC parents tend to be better educated, more affluent, and less conflict-ridden. This could indicate that SPC parents may be buffered from disparities in well-being that were documented among other post-separation parents. Using latent profile analysis, we identified four distinct profiles of maternal well-being across different life domains. SPC mothers were indeed more likely to belong to a low-strain profile and less likely to belong to a high-strain profile compared to single mothers. We conclude that social disparities both among and between post-separation parents remain highly salient, despite trends toward growing diversity in family constellations, and discuss German welfare state characteristics that may foster these differences.