The Roles of Love and Happiness in Divorce Decision Making |
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| Authors: | Sarah A. Crabtree Steven M. Harris Natasha K. Bell Sarah Allen Kelly M. Roberts |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USAcrabt037@umn.edu;3. Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA;4. Department of Health and Human Development, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA;5. Department of Family Services, Chickasaw Nation, Ada, ?Oklahoma, USA |
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| Abstract: | ![]()
Little is known about divorce decision making, the process of deciding whether to divorce when a marriage is distressed. The focus of this qualitative study was to explore the roles of love and happiness—two Western ideals that govern contemporary marital processes—in divorce decision making. Married participants (N = 30) with recent thoughts about divorce were interviewed about their conceptions of love and happiness in their decision-making processes. The resulting categories for love included: (a) importance of love, (b) change over time, and (c) marital love. The categories for happiness included: (a) fluidity of happiness and (b) balancing happiness. Implications of the findings are discussed. |
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| Keywords: | Divorce decision-making marital happiness marital love marriage |
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