About

Philipp Dierker

I am a Postdoctoral Researcher in Social Demography at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research in Rostock, Germany, and a Visiting Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Department of Sociology, Princeton University (April–July 2026).

My research sits at the intersection of family sociology, demography, and epidemiology. I study how partnership transitions — entering, dissolving, and re-forming partnerships — shape health and well-being across the life course. I am particularly interested in single mothers, parental separation, and the role of genetics in shaping social outcomes.

Research

Publications

Peer-Reviewed Articles
Do genetics shape mental health trajectories around partnership transitions?
Dierker, P., Gueltzow, M., Lahtinen, H., Kühn, M., Martikainen, P., Myrskylä, M.
Journal of Marriage and Family · Forthcoming
Parental separation risk before and after the diagnosis of a child physical health condition
Dierker, P., Metsä-Simola, N., Remes, H., Kailaheimo-Lönnqvist, S., Kühn, M., Martikainen, P., Myrskylä, M.
Demography · Forthcoming
Are spouses similar in divorce? Investigating spousal similarity in couple-shared outcomes
Sunde, H. F., Dierker, P.
Twin Research and Human Genetics · 2026
DOI
The Role of Family Complexity in Mental and Physical Health in Mid-Adulthood
Dierker, P., Kühn, M., Van Winkle, Z.
Journal of Marriage and Family, 88(2), 488–504 · 2026
DOI
Heterogeneous long-term health and social outcomes of type 1 diabetes — A full population 30-year observational cohort study of 38 modifying factors
Hiilamo, A., Metsä-Simola, N., Dierker, P., Martikainen, P., Myrskylä, M.
American Journal of Epidemiology, 195(1), 117–125 · 2026
DOI
Selective re-partnering? Mental health and life satisfaction among separated single mothers in Germany and the UK
Dierker, P., Kühn, M., Myrskylä, M.
Acta Sociologica, 68(3), 1–16 · 2025
DOI
Re-partnering and single mothers' mental health and life satisfaction trajectories
Dierker, P., Kühn, M., Myrskylä, M.
Journal of Marriage and Family, 87(1), 157–181 · 2025
DOI
Compensation or accentuation? How parents from different social backgrounds decide to support their children
Dierker, P., Diewald, M.
European Sociological Review, 41(1), 111–126 · 2025
DOI
Does parental separation moderate the heritability of health risk behavior among adolescents?
Dierker, P., Kühn, M., Mönkediek, B.
Social Science & Medicine, 331, 116070 · 2023
DOI
Segregation processes in the transition from pre-primary to elementary school
Gold, J., Störtländer, J., Dierker, P., Textor, A.
Zeitschrift für Grundschulforschung, 15, 63–80 · 2022
DOI
Working Papers
Enduring links: Mental health effects of ex-partner's life events among separated parents R&R · Social Forces
Dierker, P., Kailaheimo-Lönnqvist, S., Kühn, M., Myrskylä, M.
MPIDR Working Paper
Working Paper
Investigating the heritability of school grades from age 10 to 16 using biometric growth curve models R&R · Dev. Psychology
Ruks, M., Starr, A., Dierker, P.
PsyArXiv
Preprint
Parental Separation and the Accumulation of Stress during Early Life: A Pubertal Development Marker Approach R&R · Advances in Life Course Research
Bister, L., Dierker, P.
MPIDR Working Paper
Working Paper
From dating to marriage: changes in short-term fertility intentions across partnership transitions Under Review
Dierker, P., Ophir. A., Hiekel, N.
MPIDR Working Paper
Working Paper
Grandparenthood related to reduced risk of gray divorce: evidence from 15 countries Under Review
Dierker, P., Skirbekk, V.
MPIDR Working Paper
Working Paper
Presentations

Talks & Conferences

Selected Presentations
2025
Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo (Invited)
Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin (Invited)
Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, University of Melbourne (Invited)
Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute, The Hague (Invited)
23rd Conference of the European Divorce Network, Barcelona, Spain (Conference)
European Consortium for Sociological Research Annual Conference, Cologne, Germany (Conference)
International Population Conference, Brisbane, Australia (Conference)
Nordic Demographic Symposium, Middelfart, Denmark (Conference)
INVEST Conference, Turku, Finland (Conference)
Population Association of America Annual Meeting, Washington D.C. (Conference)
2024
Nuffield College, University of Oxford (Invited)
22nd Conference of the European Divorce Network, Berlin, Germany (Conference)
European Consortium for Sociological Research Annual Conference, Barcelona, Spain (Conference)
European Sociological Association Conference, Porto, Portugal (Conference)
European Population Conference, Edinburgh, Scotland (Conference)
Population Association of America Annual Meeting, Columbus, United States (Conference)
Annual Conference of the German Society for Demography, Hamburg, Germany (Conference)
2023
Dutch Demography Day, Utrecht, Netherlands (Conference)
21st Conference of the European Divorce Network, Utrecht, Netherlands (Conference)
SLLS Annual International Conference, Munich, Germany (Conference)
European Consortium for Sociological Research Annual Conference, Prague, Czech Republic (Conference)
Understanding Society Scientific Conference, Colchester, United Kingdom (Conference)
RC28 Conference, Paris, France (Conference)
European Social Science Genetics Network (ESSGN) Conference, Bologna, Italy (Conference)
Population Association of America Annual Meeting, New Orleans, United States (Conference)
2022
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Soziologie Kongress, Bielefeld, Germany (Conference)
British Society for Population Studies Annual Conference, Winchester, United Kingdom (Conference)
American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, United States (Conference)
European Consortium for Sociological Research Annual Conference, Amsterdam, Netherlands (Conference)
European Population Conference 2022, Online (Conference)
SOEP User Conference, Berlin, Germany (Conference)
Population Association of America Annual Meeting, Atlanta, United States (Conference)
Annual Conference of the German Society for Demography, Online (Conference)
CV

Curriculum Vitae

Download Full CV (PDF)
Academic Positions
2026
Visiting Postdoctoral Research Associate
Department of Sociology, Office of Population Research, Princeton University · April–July
2025–
Postdoctoral Researcher
Department of Social Demography, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
2021–2025
Doctoral Researcher
Department of Social Demography, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
Education
2022–2025
Ph.D. in Demography
University of Helsinki, Finland
2019–2021
M.A. in Sociology
Bielefeld University, Germany
2015–2019
B.A. in Politics and Society & History
University of Bonn, Germany