Layout 1

Divorce and Remarriage

(Children and Families in Crisis, 2004).
Some critics claim this collapse of the
traditional family is a greater cause of
poverty than any shortcomings in the
economic or the political system. Despite
these statistics, 90% of all Americans
marry and most people remarry after a
divorce (Mintz, 2001).

The Causes of Divorce

Marital Dysfunction Quiz

Why do people divorce? Take the
following quiz, based on Gottman’s
research (1995), to see if you can identify
the primary reasons for divorce:

Figure 13.1

United States Divorce Rate 1940–2004

5.5

2

3.5

2.6

2.32.2

2.5

3.5

4.5

5.2

5

4.1

4.4

4.1 4

3.93.8

3.7

4.93

4.36

3.79

3.21

2.64

2.07

1.5

for Disease Control, (2002); Clarke, S. (1995); Eldridge, R., and Sutton, P. (2007); Grove, R. and Hetzel, A. (1968);National Center for Health Statistics, (1986); National Centers for Disease Control, (1996); National Centers

Munson, M., and Sutton, P. (2004); U.S. Department of Health Education and Welfare, (1973).

1940 1945 19501955 1960 19651970 1975 19801985 1990 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Divorces per 1000

Population

1. T or F Affairs are the primary
   cause of divorce.


2. T or F Gender differences cause
   divorce.


3. T or F Communication problems
   cause marital conflicts.


4. T or F Unsuccessful marriages
   have little or noquid pro
   quo(give something to get
   something).


5. T or F Marriages end because
   partners stop loving each
   other.