Divorces can be long, mentally and physically taxing, and the effects may last a lifetime. Some studies have found that the event can temporarily change the divorcee’s personality (with significant gender-differences in the traits affected). But, do divorces have long-lasting effects on personality?
A study by a group of researchers led by Sascha Spikic, based on panel surveys from 3 countries – Australia, Germany, and the United Kingdom looked at changes in big-five traits among people who recently got divorced. In the study (one of the largest of its kind) participants were observed for 4 to 6 years and the control group consisted of peers who remained married.
The study did not find any long-lasting changes in the personalities of divorcees. The only change with slight replicability across populations was a decrease in trait Agreeableness. But, for the most part, genes reign supreme.
Read more about the study here.
