The most serious reason to consider divorce is any persistent pattern of spousal abuse. This certainly encompasses physical abuse, which can put the life of one spouse in immediate danger. The study surveyed 52 people (31 women and 21 men) who had participated in PREP, a relationship prevention and improvement program that focused on teaching couples communication and conflict resolution skills. The course was held before couples married, but the study surveyed people who ended up divorced, 14 years after it took place.
Their goal was to gain insight into why their marriage had failed, and if it had been a combination of factors, or because of a final straw. According to the Huffington Post, according to a 26-year longitudinal study that looked at 373 couples, a husband who had a close relationship with his wife's family lowered the risk of divorce by 20%. Of those who indicated that their marriage had a last straw, 12.1% reported that it was due to substance abuse. Infidelity, lack of communication, financial problems, and sex and intimacy sessions are some of the common reasons for divorce.
The Austin Institute for the Study of Family and Culture, using data from 4,000 divorced adults, identified the top reasons for divorce in terms of why people separate in the United States to include infidelity by either party; spouse who does not respond to needs; incompatibility; Spousal immaturity; emotional abuse and financial problems. Marital Satisfaction Reportedly Increases As Couple Moves Toward 10th Anniversary. Let's take a look at the 10 most common reasons for divorce and understand if your marriage is salvageable or not. Extramarital affairs are responsible for the breakdown of 20-40% of most marriages and end in divorce.
This is one of the most common causes of divorce. The reasons people cheat aren't as simple as our anger might lead us to believe. Why is divorce so common due to financial incompatibility? According to divorce statistics, a “last reason for divorce” is lack of compatibility in the financial arena and causes almost 41% of divorces. A surprising 75.0% of couples of all ages have blamed the demise of their relationship for not being ready for married life.
Divorce Rates Higher Among 20-Year-Old Couples. Lack of preparation is one of the most common reasons for divorce. Nearly half of all divorces occur in the first 10 years of marriage, especially between the fourth and eighth anniversary. Physical or emotional abuse is a sad reality for some couples and contributes to 23.5% of divorces.
Divorce is carried out with the mutual consent of both parties. In such cases, the divorce period is almost six months. However, a petition cannot be filed within the first year of marriage. In addition, the first two motions require a six-month interval.
The court also has the power to waive the cooling-off period. To learn more, read an article about how long the divorce process lasts. In several studies that asked people to choose from a list of important reasons for their divorce, lack of commitment ranked high on the list. Up to 85% of study participants gave this answer.
A lack of commitment can seem vague and difficult to prove (or refute), especially to the person who is blamed for the problem. External signs are often related to other reasons for divorce, such as extramarital affairs, not being willing to talk about the relationship and not working toward shared financial goals. This is probably why many people point to lack of commitment as a major cause of divorce, because they see it as the underlying problem of a series of more obvious problems. About 50% of participants in several studies cited grounds for divorce that had to do with poor communication, such as arguing too much and not being able to talk to each other.
Again, communication problems can be the cause of other reasons people give to divorce, such as conflicts over money and family responsibilities. Although infidelity (or adultery) arose in all of the studies we reviewed, its frequency among the reasons given for divorce ranged from approximately 20% in one study to 60% in others. In different studies, about 40% of people said that financial problems, in particular, complaints about how their ex-spouse handled money were one of the main reasons they divorced. Fights over money are often referred to as financial incompatibility, because they generally stem from differences in priorities and values around financial decisions.
In several studies, between 10 and 35 per cent of people said they had divorced because of a spouse's drinking or drug problems. Between 15 and 25% of participants in several studies cited domestic violence as an important reason for divorce. And in a study focusing on older divorced couples, more than a third of participants cited verbal, emotional, or physical abuse as one of the three main reasons for their divorce. Women and men tend to have very different views on domestic abuse as a cause of divorce.
In a national study, 42% of women, but only 9% of men, cited domestic violence as a major reason their marriage ended. That could be a reflection of the fact that women are much more likely than men to experience partner abuse, and that victims of abuse are more likely than abusers to see behavior as the cause of divorce. As we have pointed out, this list of top reasons for divorce is based on our review of a series of research studies. It accounts for how often people, looking back on their own divorce, identified them as important causes, not the severity of problems when they occur.
As an obvious example, any form of domestic violence is often more serious than communication problems. Of course, every marriage is unique, and the vast majority of couples face at least one of the issues on this list at some point in their relationship. But while some issues are more damaging than others (such as domestic abuse and serious substance use disorders), most don't have to lead to divorce, as long as both spouses are willing to work together to save the marriage. That's probably why lack of commitment was at the top of the list in multiple studies.
Rankings will vary from study to study, but one of the most common causes of divorce is always focused on money problems. Money problems can drive married couples crazy because money touches many parts of people's lives. No matter how much money you have (or don't), there's always the question of money as the main connector in marriage. That means it's also a major flashpoint for arguments and, in many cases, a motivating factor in divorce.
Money Problems Can Ruin a Marriage in Many Different Ways. Money can be especially important to the extent that you don't have it. When one or the other spouse loses a job or there are significant unexpected financial setbacks (e.g., loss of employment, health crisis, etc.). Lack of Communication Causes Breakdowns in Trust.
And the result is often divorce. Money problems are difficult, but the best way to solve them is to create a budget and long-term goals and meet them. Make a concerted effort to keep lines of communication open with respect to financial interests, especially in difficult times. You probably won't completely avoid disagreements over finances over the course of your marriage.
But like all other marital problems, if you face money challenges honestly and as a team, your marriage has a much better chance of surviving. Extramarital affairs are a pretty obvious reason people get divorced. But surprisingly, a large number of married couples have dealt with infidelity issues and found a way to stay together. The reality is that infidelity radically changes your marriage.
It erodes trust and leads to a disruption in communication. Sooner or later, infidelity usually overtakes you, making it one of the main causes of divorce. Sometimes it has to do with anger and resentment over something a spouse does. Deception can occur due to lack of self-esteem.
At other times, it can be something as simple as a difference in sexual appetite or a lack of intimacy that needs to be satisfied. Infidelity can also start as a casual relationship that turns into an emotional affair, and then turns into a physical affair. This is often the case for people in work situations who spend large amounts of time together. According to Divorce Statistics, 22% of men have committed at least one act of adultery in their lives.
In addition, 14% of married women have had affairs at least once in their lives. Up to 36% of men and women have admitted to having an affair with a co-worker. And, 70% of married women and 54% of married men were unaware of their spouses' infidelity. That lack of compatibility often leads to a lot of arguments.
Things that used to fall off your back don't work anymore. Go from having high expectations to looking for a way out. And in some cases, distancing yourself from your partner can also lead to acts of infidelity by trying to replace what you have lost in your marriage. When couples separate, they may resort to other addictions, such as gambling, pornography, uncontrollable spending, or infidelity.
An addiction can take control of a spouse's life and put them in danger of losing their jobs, friends, and marriage. Couples who marry at a young age are more likely to face more money problems because their careers are not yet established. In some cases, they haven't matured and don't understand how to communicate effectively. Without experience to guide them, a lack of maturity will often outweigh a calmer approach to marital issues.
Today, more than 40% of all marriages still end in divorce in the United States. The divorce rate has declined from an all-time high of around 50% in the 1970s and 1980s. Download our free e-book with more than 100 financial landmines to avoid. You'll also receive weekly tips and resources to help you get through a divorce.
Cheating on your spouse doesn't just break a vow, it breaks trust in a relationship. Cheating can be the result of a relationship that dies or fails, or it can simply be the result of a person's own insecurities. Regardless, whether the problem is a one-night stand or something more long-term, cheating often results in divorce, as many couples struggle to learn to trust each other enough to go beyond this judgment. It's common, regardless of the reasons for the divorce, for people considering divorce to feel depressed, vulnerable, and generally overwhelmed.
Here at Orshan, Spann& Fernández-Mesa, our goal is to make every part of the divorce process as simple and painless as possible. Contact our Miami-Dade divorce attorneys today at (30) 853-9161 to schedule your initial consultation and start the path to a better future. . .
