Researchers uncover surprising link to stroke risk

Divorce can take a toll on children’s mental health, but new research from The University of Texas at Arlington reports that its effects may last far longer than expected, potentially increasing the risk of serious health issues decades later.

According to findings by social work Associate Professor Philip Baiden recently published in the journal PLoS One, Americans aged 65 and older who experienced their parents divorcing as children were more likely to suffer a stroke compared to their peers—one in nine as compared to one in 15 whose parents did not divorce.

“Even when taking into account common risk factors of a stroke, such as smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, diabetes, depression, income and education, older adults whose parents divorced when they were children were much more likely to have a stroke than their counterparts whose parents were not divorced,” said Dr. Baiden, who conducted the research with colleagues from Tyndale University and the University of Toronto, both in Ontario, Canada. “From a biological perspective, experiencing parental divorce as a child could lead to sustained levels of stress hormones that could have a lasting influence on the brain.”

The study analyzed data from more than 13,000 older Americans from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey and found that about 14% had experienced parental divorce during childhood. To isolate the effects of divorce, individuals who experienced physical or sexual abuse as children were excluded from the study.

Baiden emphasized that the youngest people in the sample were born in 1957—more than a decade before the introduction of the first no-fault divorce laws in 1969.

“It’s likely this cohort experienced greater social stigma from their communities and peers compared to those who experienced parental divorce after it became more common,” he said.

While the study has limitations, understanding the link between childhood divorce and stroke risk is important given the serious and lasting effects of strokes. Reports show that about half of all strokes are fatal. Among survivors, about two-thirds report impaired mobility, more than half suffer from cognitive decline and many lose the ability to live independently. Strokes also carry significant financial implications, with combined direct and indirect costs exceeding $56 billion annually in the U.S.

“As a long-time researcher of adverse childhood experiences and social determinants of health, I believe this study provides additional information on the long-term impacts of childhood trauma on the adult brain,” Baiden said.

For future research, he plans to examine how childhood poverty, stress and sleep disorders intersect with the risk of stroke. He also aims to explore the mechanisms through which divorce might contribute to stroke.

“Interestingly, males who experienced divorce as children were more likely to suffer a stroke than females,” Baiden said. “This is unusual, as women are statistically more likely to have a stroke than men. This is another element we want to study further in future research.”

About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)

Located in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, The University of Texas at Arlington is a comprehensive teaching, research, and public service institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through scholarship and creative work. With an enrollment of approximately 41,000 students, UT Arlington is the second-largest institution in the UT System. UTA’s combination of outstanding academics and innovative research contributes to its designation as a Carnegie R-1 “Very High Research Activity” institution, a significant milestone of excellence. The University is designated as a Hispanic Serving-Institution and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education and has earned the Seal of Excelencia for its commitment to accelerating Latino student success. The University ranks in the top five nationally for veterans and their families (Military Times, 2024), is No. 4 in Texas for advancing social mobility (U.S. News & World Report, 2025), and is No. 6 in the United States for its undergraduate ethnic diversity (U.S. News & World Report, 2025). UT Arlington’s approximately 270,000 alumni occupy leadership positions at many of the 21 Fortune 500 companies headquartered in North Texas and contribute to the University’s $28.8 billion annual economic impact on Texas.