Boys under age 18 with divorced parents prove two to three times more likely to commit suicide compared to young girls, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
A study published in the journal Psychiatric Research showed that divorce and the damaging effects of custody battles often place more children with mothers and result in the loss of a strong male figure. The lack of a male role model can damage emotional development, gender identification and mental health for boys.
Boys also internalize their grief more often instead of discussing it. Dana Alonzo, an assistant professor at Columbia University School of Social Work, told NYT that boys feel more reluctant to reach out for help and that internalization of grief can lead to future drug abuse and thoughts of suicide.