An Exploratory Analysis of the Construct of Leavers versus Left as It Relates to Levinger's Social Exchange Theory of Attractions,Barriers, and Alternative Attractions

This study analyzed the construct of "leavers" versus "left" as it relates to Levinger's factors of attractions, barriers, and alternative attractions. Individuals who perceive themselves as the "leaver" were more positive in their attitudes toward divorce than the "left." Females were also more positive in their attitude toward divorce than were males. Although "leavers" and "left" did not differ in attractions to the marriage or in the number of barriers to divorce, leavers were willing to identify a greater number of attractive alternatives to the marriage. Furthermore, individuals having a more positive attitude toward divorce were more likely to identify fewer attractions to the marriage and a greater number of attractive alternatives to the marriage. There was no relationship between an individual's attitude toward divorce and the number of barriers he/she was willing to identify. Of the variables studied, "attractive alternatives" to the marriage was consistently identified as most significant.     

Divorce and psychological stress.

While research on adjustment to divorce has been extensive, the paucity of studies assessing stress before and after divorce has kept the relation between psychological stress and martial dissolution unclear. Conflicting findings cast some doubt on the utility of using a crisis model to study divorce. Analysis of three-wave panel data from a national sample of persons married in 1980 indicates that the crisis model is appropriate for understanding adjustment to divorce. Comparisons of divorced persons with married persons show a predivorce rise in stress which then returns to levels comparable to those reported by married individuals. No evidence was found supporting the idea that a high level of psychological stress is a general cause of divorce or that dissolution resulted in more or less permanent elevation of psychological stress. Findings support the hypothesis that predivorce resources and outlooks influence the amount of stress experienced in the two years immediately following divorce. Below median family incomes, no post-high school experience, and wife not in the labor force put divorcing individuals at a disadvantage. Individuals reporting few premarital troubles and beliefs in the immorality of divorce also appear to experience heightened stress in the two years following divorce.     

The effect of war on marriage,divorce and birth rates

The impact of war on marriage, divorce, and birth rates in the United States from 1933 to 1986 is explored. The author concludes that "the involvement of the nation in military activities was accompanied by a decrease in marriage and birth rates but not by any change in divorce rates. Mobilization of the armed forces and demobilization had no discernible impact on divorce, marriage or birth rates."     

当代女大学生婚姻观调查分析——以天津市几所高校调查为例

主要分析当代女大学生婚姻观的新变化,联系当今社会大背景,剖析当代女大学生婚姻观变迁的缘由,以及女大学生婚姻观的构成要素。尤其对广大女大学生而言,近年来"毕婚"(毕业就结婚)现象愈演愈烈,"闪婚"一族屡见不鲜,这些婚姻现象不可避免地为他们以后普遍的高离婚率埋下隐患,进而影响社会的和谐。因此,研究女大学生婚姻观具有重要的理论意义和现实意义。     

Parental Marital Status and Young Adult Offspring's Attitudes About Marriage and Divorce

This study examined attitudes toward marriage and divorce among single young adults. Data were gathered from 310 traditional-aged college students regarding their perceived level of commitment to a future marriage and their likelihood to divorce should such a marriage become unsatisfying. Study results indicated that individuals who have experienced parental divorce reported lower levels of marital commitment and more prodivorce attitudes than their peers from intact families. These results suggest that attitudes toward marriage and divorce are partially preformulated beliefs individuals carry into their relationships. Implications for professionals working with young adults are discussed, along with directions for future research.     

Long-Term Effects of a Parenting Preventive Intervention on Young Adults’ Attitudes Toward Divorce and Marriage

This study examined whether the New Beginnings Program (NBP), a parenting-focused preventive intervention designed to reduce children’s postdivorce mental health problems, affected attitudes toward divorce and marriage in young adults whose mothers had participated 15 years earlier. Participants (M = 25.6 years; 50% female; 88% White) were from 240 families that had participated in a randomized experimental trial (NBP vs. literature control). Analyses of covariance showed that program effects on both types of attitudes were moderated by gender. Males in the NBP reported more positive attitudes toward marriage and less favorable attitudes toward divorce than males in the literature control.     

Divorce in Hong Kong SAR, 1999–2011: A Review of 1,208 Family Court Cases

Divorce has increased dramatically in Hong Kong and elsewhere in Asia since the 2000s, whereas the West has seen a decline, suggesting there are factors specific to Hong Kong relating to divorce. This study examined a random sample of 1,208 divorce cases from the Hong Kong Family Court between 1999 and 2011. These marriages lasted 11 to 12 years on average, and most divorces occurred between the 5th and 7th years of marriage. Couples with a divorce history had a higher divorce risk, regardless of whether they had children, and predivorce marriage duration was positively associated with the number of children. The grounds cited for divorce indicate a shift toward no-fault divorce. Most petitioners were women, and mothers were generally granted child custody. Cross-border marriages and remarriages accounted for about one third of divorces, reflecting the impacts of differing sociocultural backgrounds and divorce history. The study’s implications for policymaking and service provision are discussed.     

The impact of unemployment on marriage and divorce

"The present study was designed to explore whether unemployment has a deleterious impact on family life, resulting in lower rates of marriage and births and higher rates of divorce. Time series data were available for twelve nations for the 35 year period of 1950 to 1985, and the present paper reports analyses of these data sets." The results indicate that unemployment is associated with lower marriage and birth rates and higher divorce rates.     

Does Gold Price Matter for Divorce Rate in Iran?

The increasing divorce rate has become a major social concern for policy makers in the Islamic government of Iran. The price of gold coin is an important factor in cost-benefit analysis for individuals in their marriage and divorce decisions in Iran. Dowries (Mehrieh) are usually in the form of gold coin and a wife has a legal right to request them from her husband upon both parties signing the marriage contract. Increasing the price of gold coin may intensify the internal stress and struggles within families, leading to a higher probability of divorce. We investigated the long-run relationship between real price of gold coin and divorce rate for the case of Iran over the period 1980–2014. Controlling for other factors such as women’s education, social globalization, economic growth rate, and the war period with Iraq, our regression results showed that there is a positive and significant long-run relationship between real price of gold coin (as well as unanticipated changes in real price of gold coin) and marital instability.     

Spouse Preferences of Never-Married,Divorced, and Cohabiting Americans

This research demonstrates that mate-selection preferences are patterned according to men's and women's prior experiences with marriage, divorce, and cohabitation. Compared with men and women who have never divorced or cohabited, men and women who have experienced one or both of these events express consistently different references in their willingness to marry others with particular personal traits. The research was based on a national sample of 2,536 unmarried individuals interviewed as part of the National Survey of Families and Households. The existence of patterned differences in mate-selection preferences is interpreted to imply the possible existence of different "marriage markets" for those who have and have not experienced divorce or cohabitation. The implications of the existence of such varied marriage markets for the cultural meaning of marriage are explored.     

’Til Divorce Do Us Part: Marriage Dissolution in Later Life

Late-life divorce—commonly referred to as gray divorce—is a rising trend that parallels the growth of the older adult population. We sought to gain an in-depth understanding of the experience of marriage dissolution, the divorce process, and life following divorce in a sample of older adults who divorced after more than 20 years of marriage. Qualitative data were collected from 10 divorcees (7 women and 3 men; M age = 63.5) and analyzed to understand the gray divorce experience; that is, factors that determined or delayed the decision to divorce and divorcees’ coping during and after divorce. Participants’ stories demonstrate that marriages endure despite problems because relationships are complex, and good experiences mix with bad ones. Outcomes of late-life divorce have significant health and financial implications for both individuals and society.     

A lognormal model for divorce by marriage cohort.

"In this paper a model to predict the cumulative divorce trajectory of marriage cohorts has been developed on the assumption that the distribution of the lengths of exposure to marriage of a marriage cohort is lognormal. It is found that on the basis of recently published data [for the United States for the period 1949-1958] the model provides a good fit to cohort divorce trajectories and compares favorably with previously published models on the same subject."     

Divorce Counseling or Marriage Therapy? A Therapeutic Option

Divorce, if properly orchestrated by a specially trained therapist, can be a liberating experience that promotes, rather than undermines, family solidarity. Of course, a happy marriage is preferable to an amicable divorce, but some marriages are beyond repair. Gross incompatibility often leads to "emotional blackmail" and other coercive states within an unhappy marriage. The present paper, through the use of several case histories, addresses the foregoing issues and also delineates effective marital therapy strategies. The rationale and implementation of creative divorce counseling is also described.     

A Contractual,Working Separation

This paper presents a contract and the rationale for its use with couples who recognize that their marriage is on the edge of divorce. In order to obtain individual perspective as to the future of their union, and their expectations about marriage and divorce in general, the couple can choose to live separately under controlled and structured conditions. The counselor plays an active part as mediator and facilitator, The author has had two years of experience with this type of contract. It has been successful in reconaliation of couples to a new concept of marriage and in achieving personal growth.     

Examining the relationship between age at first marriage,education and the timing of marital dissolution in Ghana

"This study utilizes the family-life course perspective with survival tables and proportional hazard rate analysis to examine the timing patterns of marital dissolution in Ghana at various durations of marriage. Using data from the Ghana Fertility Survey (GFS) 1979/1980, this study has found evidence to support research from western industrial countries that young age at marriage compared to the cultural norm increases the probability of divorce.... It is found that for those with no education, divorce rates are not affected by age at marriage, while for those with some education, later marriage leads to lower dissolution rates."     

Trends in divorce and marriage around the world

"A study of 27 [developed] nations indicated that divorce rates rose in 25 of the nations from 1950 to 1985 while marriage rates declined in 22 of the nations. Nations with higher divorce rates in 1950 had steeper increases in the divorce rate subsequently, supporting a critical-mass hypothesis."     

The consequences of early marriage on marital dissolution

Research has been consistent in documenting the direct negative effect of early marriage on marital stability, while disagreeing over the level of influence of status attainment measures on divorce. However, the discipline has failed to come to consensus on the complexity of these relationships: that early marriage may operate indirectly through mediating variables to increase the likelihood of divorce. The focus of this paper is an analysis of a path model which includes the estimated effects of antecedents of early marriage, early marriage and education on the probability of divorce. Findings using the General Social Surveys support research that suggests that early marriage is the most important variable influencing divorce. Further, little influence of the early marriage measure through education was found.     

A Comparitive Study of Custodial Mothers and Fathers in the Stabilization Phase of the Divorce Process

Sense of competence, time perspective, and state-anxiety of Israeli custodial mothers and fathers several years past divorce were compared. Both groups had an integrative general and parental sense of competence as well as normal state-anxiety levels in the "stabilization" phase of the divorce process. Mothers rated the past negatively and had higher anger levels than fathers. This was mainly atributed to their adverse postdivorce situation characterized by negative societal attitudes towards maternal employment, work overload, sparse material resources, and diminished opportunities for initiating or maintaining social contacts in this traditional society. While employment contributed to parental sense of competence in mothers, fathers perceived their parental and general competence as being related to marriage. Treatment and research implications were discussed.     

Role of National Divorce Rates in Moderating the Association Between Marriage Duration and Body Mass Index

The aim of this study was to investigate the moderating effects of the national divorce rate on the association between body weight and marriage duration. Previous studies argued that a high divorce rate at country level reduces the body weight of married people because of an increased risk of a return to the marriage market. To examine the association in question, this study used retrospective data from 14,083 middle-aged individuals in Europe. For women the divorce rate, the percentage change, and the trend of change did not moderate the positive association between body mass index and marriage duration. In contrast, for men a high divorce rate and a steady decline over time positively moderated the relation between body mass index and marriage duration.     

Attitudes Toward Divorce,Commitment, and Divorce Proneness in First Marriages and Remarriages

A random multistate sample of married individuals (N = 1,931) was used to explore whether more positive attitudes toward divorce and weaker commitment to marriage may contribute to the greater instability of remarriages than first marriages. Remarried adults, whether or not they brought children from a previous union into the remarriage, reported marital quality (happiness and conflict) equal to those in first marriages. They also reported more positive attitudes toward divorce, which were associated with higher divorce proneness (i.e., thinking about and taking actions toward divorce). Marriage type interacted with marital quality to predict divorce proneness, such that the association between low marital quality and divorce proneness was stronger for remarried individuals than for those in first marriages. This suggests that remarried adults may be more likely than adults in first marriages to take steps toward divorce when experiencing marital distress, possibly reflecting a weaker commitment to marriage.