On behalf of The Jacks Law Group posted in child custody on Tuesday, May 5, 2015.

As in many other states, courts in Nevada always try to make child custody decisions in the best interests of the child or children. In some cases, such as when one parent has a history of abuse or neglect, courts will decide that giving full custody to the other parent is in the child's best interests.

But what about when both parents are fit and want to remain actively involved in their children's lives after divorce? Is joint child custody in the best interests of children, even if it means they'll be regularly traveling between two households? According to a recent study, the answer appears to be “yes.”

The study was conducted in Sweden, where researchers looked at health information on about 150,000 kids between age 12 and age 15. The majority of these children lived in two-parent households, but there were plenty of kids who were in joint-custody situations or single-parent households as well.

To measure overall wellbeing, researchers focused on the prevalence of psychosomatic symptoms – sleeplessness, headaches, upset stomach, difficulty concentrating and other physical manifestations of stress or mental health issues.

The prevalence of psychosomatic symptoms was lowest in kids who lived in two-parent households. But compared to kids in single-parent households (sole custody), kids who split their time living with each of their parents had significantly fewer symptoms.

Is shared custody always the best option? Of course not. In fact, it is unwise to speak in absolutes on nearly any family law matter. But in cases where both parents are good to their children and want to stay involved in their lives, joint child custody is often the solution that meets their children's best interests.

Source: CBS DC, “Study: Children Of Divorce Undergo Less Stress Living With Both Parents,” April 28, 2015