According to study, it has been found that death or permanent separation of one or both parents was associated with a threefold increase in the risk of developing schizophrenia.

It has also been found that separation was also correlated to increase in psychotic-like experiences.

Further research is being conducted to understand whether the adverse early experiences such as family conflict, abuse and neglect which accompany parental separation are responsible for this increased risk of schizophrenia or separation itself.