Eva-Lisa Katarina PalmtagResearcher
About me
I am a researcher in sociology within the Level-of-Living (LNU) research group at the Swedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI). My research interest lies within family sociology and the focus of my doctoral studies was on divorces/separations and their consequences.
Teaching
First cycle (grundnivå)
- Supervision of undergraduate level thesis
- Previously teaching assistant on the course “Grundläggande Sociologi” at the Sociology department with responsibility for seminars
Publications
A selection from Stockholm University publication database
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Does It Matter Anymore? A Study of Childhood Characteristics and Separated Families' Contacts in Adulthood
2020. Eva-Lisa Palmtag. Family Relations
ArticleObjective
The study aimed to explore which factors influence intergenerational contacts between adult children and their separated parents, focusing on childhood characteristics.
Background
Children from separated families have less frequent contact with their parents compared with peers from intact families. Yet few studies have examined the heterogeneity in intergenerational contact within separated families.
Methods
Data were based on Swedish Level of Living Survey. Using linear probability model, the first analysis showed that intergenerational contacts vary depending on family type (n = 2,500). The study then explored variations in contacts within separated families (n = 472).
Results
The findings show that previous frequent contacts with the nonresident parent were positively correlated with current father–child contacts.
Conclusion
Separation has long‐term consequences on intergenerational contacts, and these are partly predicted by childhood characteristics.
Implications
The findings suggest, for example, that alternate living (i.e., children living spending equal time with their parents after separation) may contribute to a more equal distribution of the contact between children and their separated parents even in adulthood and help narrow the gender gap in intergenerational contacts within separated families.
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Parental divorce, psychological well-being and educational attainment
2015. Michael Gähler, Eva-Lisa Palmtag. Social Indicators Research 123 (2), 601-623
ArticleDuring the last century, the proportion of children and adolescents who have experienced a parental divorce or separation has increased dramatically, in Sweden and elsewhere. Vast research has shown that children in these families fare less well than children in intact families, both in the short and in the long run and on a number of outcomes. Much less is known about whether parental divorce means the same for children and adolescents today as it did a century ago. Have living conditions changed and, if so, how? Moreover, has the association between parental divorce and child well-being changed in magnitude over time? To answer these questions six waves of the Swedish Level of Living Survey were used. The data set contains indicators on childhood living conditions for an entire century of Swedes, born 1892–1991. We show that living conditions for children of divorce have indeed changed on a number of dimensions but there is no evidence of magnitude change in the association between parental divorce/separation and two child outcomes, psychological well-being and educational attainment.
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D5.2. Cohort trends in effects of family dynamics on children’s life chances
2014. Michael Gähler, Juho Härkönen, Eva-Lisa Palmtag.
Report -
Ett sekel av förändrade uppväxtförhållanden. Familj, boende och socioekonomiska förutsättningar under barndomen
2014. Michael Gähler, Eva-Lisa Palmtag. Ojämlikhetens dimensioner, 52-76
Chapter -
Parental divorce during childhood in Sweden: Changed experience, unchanged effect
2014. Michael Gähler, Eva-Lisa Palmtag.
Report -
Skilda föräldrar, skilda liv? Familjeförhållanden som barn och levnadsförhållanden som vuxen
2014. Michael Gähler, Eva-Lisa Palmtag. Ojämlikhetens dimensioner
Chapter -
Like ripples on a pond: The long-term consequences of parental separation and conflicts in childhood on adult children's self-rated health
2022. Eva-Lisa Palmtag. SSM - Population Health 18
ArticleObjective: The aim of the study was to explore how different forms of conflict in childhood and parental separation additively and interactively predict self-rated health (SRH) in adulthood. Furthermore, a subsample analysis investigated how different family conflicts predict SRH in adulthood within the group of separated families, controlling for post-separation circumstances.
Background: Previous research shows that adult children from separated families have worse health compared to peers from intact families. Additionally, inter-parental conflicts are closely associated with parental separation and known to negatively influence children's health. Few studies have taken a broader perspective on conflicts and included conflicts beyond the inter-parental subsystem, such as within other family subsystems, into their analysis.
Methods: Data were based on Swedish Level of Living Survey (LNU). Using linear probability modelling the first analysis shows that SRH in adulthood varies depending on family type and the occurrence of conflict in childhood (n = 6,638). The study then explored variations in SRH within separated families (n = 934).
Results: The results show that adult children from separated families and families with different types of conflicts have worse SRH compared to their peers in intact families and families with no conflicts.
Conclusion: Parental separation has long-term consequences on children's SRH and this relationship is partly predicted by parent-child conflicts.
Implications: The results underline the importance of considering children's involvement when studying the separation process and its outcomes. They also suggest that interventions to help parents and children through a separation would benefit from a focus, not only on inter-parental conflicts but also, on parent-child conflicts, as well as parents' role modelling to prevent children from experiencing negative long-term health outcomes.
Show all publications by Eva-Lisa Katarina Palmtag at Stockholm University