LONDON—Children growing up in single-parent families have twice the risk of developing serious psychiatric problems or addictions later in life, says a new study.
The scientists found that children with single parents were twice as likely as those living with two parents to develop severe depression or schizophrenia, to kill themselves or attempt suicide, and to develop an alcohol-related disease.
Girls were three times more likely to become drug addicts if they lived with a sole parent, and boys were four times more likely.
Experts say the latest study, published this week in The Lancet medical journal, is important because of its unprecedented scale and follow-up — it tracked about 1 million children for a decade, into their mid-20s.
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