Dissolution and its Consequences Flashcards
we have less divorce because we have less marriages
Divorce Rates in Canada
- 25.6% of marriages will end
before their 30th anniversary - it changes with age
- increses when u had divorced before
- 35 to 45 higher divorce age
Global
Divorce
Rates
russia,china,united states (higher)
Predictors are many…/risk factors
- Alcoholism/drug abuse
- Infidelity
- Incompatibility
- Physical/emotional abuse
- Disagreements over finances
- Poor communication
- Poor conflict resolution skills
- Lack of commitment
- Perceived inequality
- Age at marriage
- Cohabitation
- Second & Subsequent Marriages
- Parental Divorce
- Childbearing
- Family size
- Sex of child
- Stage of Marriage
- Place of Residence
- Religion
- Socioeconomic Status
- Economic cycles
- Sex ratios
- Gender expectations
- Social Integration
Global Sex
Ratios
places where women outnumber man > resourecs are important > for men to attract women they must have resources> to keep the women they make women economically dependent
places where man outnumber women > attraction is important > for women to attract women must look good > to keep a man they have to look good
conclusion?
-more gender equality/women in the work force : more divorce
-less gender eqauality :less divorge
Should we still be concerned?
Assumption: increased
prevalence and decreasing
social stigma = less impact
Findings: adults and children
from divorced families, on
average, experience poorer well-being than their married counterparts
Keep in mind…
- Divorce is a process.
- Outcomes are context specific.
Dissolution
Outcomes
Labour Costs
Divorce is negatively correlated with male labor supply
- Divorce can result in short-term labor supply changes as high as 10–20% of pre-divorce labor supply levels
- Unless there is a working spouse pre divorce
For females, the data do not reveal any
significant changes in labor supply
Legal Fees
Estimated cost: $1,772 (uncontested)
and $15,306 (contested) (per case)
Mental Health
Commonly, individuals show
internalizing problems.
- Depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation
etc.
Over time, 80–90% recover their
predivorce composure (Rappaport, 2013).
However, some continue to experience conflict for years on end
Fathers’
Adjustment
Fathers’ overall adjustment level after divorce is lower than that of custodial
mothers
- The risk of suicide is higher
- Men feel less assisted by social support systems
older people divorce
Between 1993 and 2003:
* 34% increase in divorce among adults aged 50 to 54 years;
- 47.8% increase among adults aged 55 to 59;
- 31.7% increase among adults aged 60 to 64; and
- 9.2% increase among adults aged 65+
Late-life divorce has significant health
and financial implications for both
individuals and society (Canham et al., 2014)
Disrupted Networks
Divorce also erodes one’s support network
The loss is said to be greater for men than for women, as men typically have a smaller support network
(friends who they can emotionally talk to and rely on)
Divorce can also affect grandparent–grandchild relations as it changes the balance of resources
Divorce also disrupts family links, making it difficult for adult children and grandchildren to spend time
with both parents, especially on holidays.
Stressors Change
Over Time
Prior to divorce: involve a growing
dissatisfaction with the marital
relationship
Post-divorce: include a drop in
economic resources, greater
parenting demands on the custodial
parent, and relocation to a new home
and neighborhood
Effects on Children
Most children from divorced families are doing as well as their peers from married families
However, as many as 25% , have substantial problems that may be
long-lasting.
- Impulsive behaviour
- More internalizing and externalizing problems
- Even into adulthood
Long Term
Effects (Europe)
Meta analysis (54 studies):
Adult children of divorce have
a higher risk of developing a
variety of mental health
conditions (Auersperg et al.
- Depre ssion, anxiety, suicide
attempts and ideation,
alcohol, smoking, drugs and
distress
Stay Married for the Kids?
Two waves of data from a national survey of Canadian children (N=4,474).
Compared depression, antisocial behavior, and hyperactivity in children whose parents subsequently divorced and children whose parents remain married.
- Results confirmed significantly worse mental health among children whose parents divorced.
- Differences due to greater socioeconomic disadvantage and more dysfunctional family processes among eventually divorcing households
Effects start long
before the divorce
Pre-divorce dysfunctional family relationships are thought to influence child mental health
It comes down to conflict
Marital conflict is associated with:
- depression, thoughts about suicide
and heart disease (in parents)
Discord between parents:
* negatively affects parenting skills
- is associated with child internalizing and externalizing problems
Engaging in conflict:
* Makes parents less available for their children
- While high-conflict divorces are in the statistical minority, they are the most costly in terms of litigation, resources, court time, financial cost,
and emotional toll on the participants.
Violence
A separation may trigger an extended
period of conflict and litigation over
custody and access
40% of women and 32% of men who
were in a former violent marriage or
common-law relationship experienced
violence post-separation
Most research on the impact of divorce shows the greatest harm to children comes from ongoing conflict and violence rather than the divorce
All this as a result of divorce, and we haven’t considered cohabitation …
In 2017, 15% of adults 15-64
were in cohabiting unions
- More than twice as likely to
dissolve than married couples - In 2021, 52.5% of married couples have children at home compared to 41.5% of cohabiting couples
Dissolution can
be positive!
Positive consequences of divorce are more likely for persons who are ending
dysfunctional and stressful marriages
An end to violence can lead to a reduction in emotional and behavioral
problems exhibited by children
The Dissolution and Adjustment Process*
- sociohistorical context
- gender
- cultural values
- economic conditions
- legal context
- race
What can we do to reduce some of the negative effects of dissolution?
