Residential Arrangements and Children's School Engagement: The Role of the Parent-Child Relationship and Selection Mechanisms

The increase in shared residential arrangements is driven by the belief that it is in the best interest of the child. The maintenance of contact between child and parents can mitigate negative consequences of separation. However, selection mechanisms may account for a positive relationship between shared residential arrangements and child outcomes. This study examines the association between children's residential arrangements and their school engagement, focusing on the parent-child relationship as a mediator and selection mechanisms. Structural equation models are performed on a sample of 973 secondary school pupils with separated parents from the Leuven Adolescents and Families Study (LAFS; 2008-2011). The results suggest that more parental time is related with a better parent-child relationship, and this leads indirectly to higher school engagement. However, shared residence may also have negative consequences for children and is certainly not the only residential arrangement in which children have a good relationship with both parents.