Causes of Divorce

8 Pages 1957 Words

About half of all American marriages that occur will end in divorce (“Family...” 37-41). That is the conclusion that is being drawn from most studies done today. The divorce rate in the Untied States has been traveling upwards for more then a century. In fact between 1960 and 1980 the rate of divorce surged nearly 250% (“Divorce... 2). The divorce rate has stabilized since the 1980’s but it is still the highest in the industrialized world by far. Studies show that today 40% of all first marriages will end in divorce compared to only 16% in the 1960’s. It has also been found that upwards of 60% of all remarriages will not last either (“Divorce…” 2). The question being asked is why?
Stress can be a huge cause of marital difficulties (LaFayette 18). One thing that has come up numerous times in research is that money causes the most stress for married couples. According to PREP (Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program), money is said to start more arguments then any other topic. Citibank also states that their research shows money to be the leading cause of divorce (“Money…” 128). Couples not having enough money or even having more money then they know what to do with can cause major friction in any marriage.
A study done by the National Bureau of Economic Research Inc. shows that there are some financial problems more likely to lead to divorce then others. An example would be getting fired. Getting fired from a job significantly raises the probability of getting divorced. The National Bureau of Economic Research also says that married men who are fired have an 18% higher chance of being divorced within three years of losing their jobs then men who aren’t fired from jobs. Women are said to have a 13% higher chance (“Lost…” 26). The reasons that getting fired from a job would raises the chances of getting a divorce so much are many; but the most important is stress. Getting fired ...