On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in divorce on Wednesday, August 17, 2016.
ust about every week or so, we read about a new study that reveals a link between certain behaviors and an increased risk of divorce. This is not surprising, considering the fact that people often want to know what they can do to protect their marriage from ending.
The answer, at least according to one recent study, could be to get to work. We don’t mean that you should work on the marriage, though that is crucial; we mean that studies found men who do not have full-time jobs are more likely to get divorced.
The study involved 6,300 opposite-sex married couples. When all other factors were equal, the couples with an underemployed husband were 33 percent more likely to get divorced in the next year.
The study makes an important distinction between being employed and making money. According to researchers, the perceived increase in divorce rates correlates with full-time work, not the money earned in a paycheck. This means that even when a husband earns much less than his wife, as long as he is working a full-time job, the chances of divorce are still lower than if he had no job at all.
Several potential explanations have been given for why this correlation exists. Some believe that it is linked to gender norms and expectations. Others suggest it might have something to do with the fact that unemployment can be coupled with depression, aimlessness and frustration, which can have a detrimental effect on a marriage.
While it is certainly interesting to read these studies and see how various factors could influence marriage, the fact is there is no fixed rule when it comes to predicting divorce. Every couple is different and handles life differently; sometimes, a relationship simply runs its course and there is no one reason for it to end.
Statistics and studies can certainly put divorce in perspective, but you should understand that you are not simply a statistic or proof of concept. Your divorce is unique and involves countless unique elements that must be addressed as such. Because of this, it can be wise to have the support and guidance of an attorney who can protect you and your best interests.
