Story perspectives

Norway Study: Partnered Fathers Fear Divorce, Trust Drops

4/26/2026

Summary

Story summary

A Norwegian longitudinal study found that partnered fathers fearing divorce lose trust in political institutions.
Researchers surveyed 5,420 adults in 2014-2017 about divorce risk and trust in parties, parliament and government.
Divorce risk lowered political trust only among fathers, not partnered women or childless men.
The decline persisted after accounting for poverty, unemployment and health worries and was independent of trust, Professor Staffan Kumlin of the University of Oslo noted.

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Story summary

A Norwegian longitudinal study found that partnered fathers fearing divorce lose trust in political institutions.
Researchers surveyed 5,420 adults in 2014-2017 about divorce risk and trust in parties, parliament and government.
Divorce risk lowered political trust only among fathers, not partnered women or childless men.
The decline persisted after accounting for poverty, unemployment and health worries and was independent of trust, Professor Staffan Kumlin of the University of Oslo noted.