Men are more likely to suffer from depression after a divorce than women, according to new research.
Men are six times more likely to suffer a bout of depression in the two years after a divorce or separation from a common-law partner than those who remain married.
Women, meanwhile, were 3.5 times more likely than their married counterparts to experience depression during this period.
Explaining the findings, Jenni Tipper, from the Vanier Institute of the Family, said: "Typically women are much better at building and maintaining social supports, which isn't often the case for men."
Another explanation suggested by the findings is that 34 per cent of men compared to just three per cent of women reside with one fewer child following the breakdown of their relationship.
However, depression among the newly divorced was found, in general, to be a temporary condition. More than 75 per cent of those who suffered depression during this time were no longer depressed four years after the break-up.
