Divorce

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorCollege, Undergraduate August 2001

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Divorce has become a ritual in America. Statistics polled only two years ago showed that 46% of all new marriages would eventually be terminated. The size of the average American household has dropped immensely during the past twenty years. From 3.5 in 1980, there are now an estimated 2.4 people living under one roof, and that is not stating that any of them are husband and wife. So, the question lies; Why have more and more Americans been dissolving their vows so rapidly? Is it because of work-related problems, financial issues, adultery, lack of communication, "¦ or do they even need a reason anymore? 81% of Americans surveyed, reported that their jobs add some amount of stress to their daily life, according to American Demographics. This is largely due to increased pressures and hours of work in our competitive economic climate. These stresses can spill over into family life in the form of lack of time, physical, and emotional energy to invest in the partnership.

This in turn leads to marital conflict and dissatisfaction. Work-related demands and pressures sometimes generate tension and stress that may go unrecognized as such, though the effect on families attempting to balance work and family life is still present. However, career stresses and work conflicts were only acknowledged by 7.5% (in 1998 poll) as the primary reason for their divorce.

Commonly associated with work-related stresses is the problem of financial issues between couples. Financial hardship can increase emotional stress and depression, causing a subject to distance oneself, which, in turn, can create or worsen marital tensions. Also, issues may arise with the handling of joint funds between a couple and disaproval of such happenings. Though it has been said that ""¦money is the root of all evil"¦", only 9.2% of...