The Top Seven Reasons for Divorce
Pinpointing the exact reasons that couples divorce has become more difficult with the advent of no-fault grounds. Most states provide this option, so a spouse filing for divorce only needs to indicate that irreconcilable differences caused the breakup of the marriage. Spouses are no longer required to give specific details about what went wrong. Since 2002, an estimated 80 percent of divorces have been granted on no-fault grounds. Statistics gathered by sociologists and other researchers, however, give a glimpse into the problems that cause "irreconcilable differences."
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Money Problems
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Divorce Guide indicates that financial problems are the greatest cause of divorce in the United States. Whether brought on by the economy or personal circumstances, when money gets tight, it can put real stress on a marriage. If the union was shaky before the problems arose, the pressure can be too much. Couples disagree on whom to pay and when to pay them, on what warrants expenditure and what doesn't. Approximately half of all divorces can be traced to money problems.
Infidelity
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The second leading cause of divorce is infidelity, according to Divorce Guide. A quarter to a third of divorcees blame cheating as the cause of the breakup. Up to 25 percent of married men admit to having strayed, whether for a single night or into an adulterous relationship.
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Sexual Problems
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When people have been together for a long time, the nature of their sexual relationship can change. Boredom can set in, and age can affect sex drive as well. According to Divorce Guide, when partners who are close to the same age near their 30s, their sexual chemistry can become mismatched. Women peak in their 30s, while men peak in their late teens. If spouses had different needs to begin with, this increased sexual incompatibility can lead to divorce, especially if one partner is repeatedly rejected.
Parenting Differences
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According to Divorce Guide, two-thirds of all divorces occur between spouses with children. Disputes over how to raise them can cause enough friction between parents to bring about divorce. Disputes can reach a feverish pitch when parents disagree on how to deal with "problem" or difficult children, or problems might stem from different parenting styles.
Abuse
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Surprisingly, few divorcees cite abuse as having caused the breakup of their marriages. Abuse can be physical, verbal or emotional, but many abused spouses do not seek a divorce. According to the Women's Rural Advocacy Programs, abused wives leave their spouses and then return six to eight times throughout the marriage.
Unwillingness to Try
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Almost 65 percent of spouses who come from broken homes are likely to divorce their own spouses. One theory is that the example has been set for them that it's OK to leave and end a marriage that is not going well. They're less likely to try to make it work when and if problems set in.
Age at Marriage
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The younger people are when they marry, the less likely it is that they will be able to sustain the marriage. Sometimes irreconcilable differences really are just irreconcilable differences, with spouses growing older and growing apart. In 2002, people who married younger than age 25 left their spouses 40 percent of the time. Those older than 25 divorced only 24 percent of the time.
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References
- Divorce Guide: The Top 10 Reasons for Divorce
- PsychPage.com: Relationship Reasons for Divorce
- Divorce Lawyer Source: Causes of Divorce
- Divorce Lawyer Source: Divorce Statistics
- Divorce Guide: Divorce Statistics in the USA
- "Time"; The Science of Cougar Sex -- Why Older Women Lust; John Cloud; Jul. 9, 2010
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