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Divorce and Remarriage

In this study,happily married couples had
significantly higher levels of communication,
flexibility,closeness,personality
compatibility,and conflict resolution than
unhappy couples (Olson & Olson,2000).

Other Factors Related to Divorce

Certain premarital factors have been
found to be key in determining which
couples have a greater likelihood of marital
distress. Two factors in particular,
premarital interaction (such as emotional
invalidation) and poor conflict resolution,
play key roles in the development of marital
distress. Lower premarital happiness plays a
role in later marital distress, while higher
religiousness on the wife’s part is associated
with marital happiness (Clements, Stanley,
& Markman, 2004).
It is common to cite “lack of loving” as
a cause of divorce. Susan Sprecher has

concluded, if satisfaction and

commitment increase over time, love also

will improve. If levels of satisfaction

decrease, the couple may stop loving as

well. Her research suggests satisfaction

and commitment are more important to

couples than love, at least as these factors

relate to a couple’s staying together (1999).

From a different perspective,a group of

attorneys reported these as the most

common reasons their clients gave for

seeking a divorce: poor communication,

financial problems,a lack of commitment to

the marriage,a dramatic change in priorities,

and infidelity.Still common but less frequent,

their clients reported these additional reasons

for seeking a divorce: failed expectations or

unmet needs; addictions and substance

abuse; physical,sexual,or emotional abuse;

and lack of conflict resolution skills

(American Association of Matrimonial

Lawyers,2000).

For therapists, some of the most

difficult areas to treat are lack of loving,

addictions of all kinds, and extramarital

affairs, all of which create some of the

greatest damage to a marriage. Some of

the most common reasons given as

SIDEBAR13.1

“If we want less government,we must have stronger

families,for government steps in by necessity when

families have failed.”

—Jimmy Carter, 1976

1. Personality issues


2. Communication


3. Conflict resolution


4. Couple flexibility


5. Financial management


6. Leisure activities


7. Sexual relationship


8. Children and parenting


9. Family and friends


10. Religious orientation