What Every American Should Know About Divorce

In America, we have an unfortunate but well known phrase that goes something like this, “Divorce happens.” Sadly, divorce has become a regrettable characteristic deeply embedded into the social fabric of our society. Its implications cut across all ethnic, social, economic and educational dividing lines.

A report (released in 2001) conducted by Dr. Edward Sondik, the then director of CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, opened our eyes to critical issues concerning; marriage, divorce and remarriage in the United States. It revealed that forty three percent of 1st marriages ended in separation or divorce within fifteen years. Recent statistics (four years later) shows an upward trend that has the divorce rate hovering around 50%.

When it comes to divorce, like everyone else, you may have more questions than answers. What precipitates divorce? Are there any predictable telltale signs? What happens after divorce? How does divorce impact children? How does divorce impact men/women? The study performed by Dr. Sondik and other indepth reports sheds some light on this alarming issue. Peruse this brief synopsis of the impact of divorce.

Divorce and Health
Separation and divorce can have adverse effects on the health and well being of children and adults. Divorce is associated with more health problems, higher rates of mortality and more risky behaviors such as increased alcohol use.

Divorce and Psychological Issues
Research performed at UCLA and Yale reports, "Researchers have consistently found that highest rates of mental disorder among the divorced and separated.” The lowest instances of psychological issues was found among the married, happily of course.

Divorce and Suicide
The research on suicide published in Social Science Quarterly revealed that, of all the variables, divorce had the strongest relationship to suicide rates and marriage had the lowest. Statistics show that divorced individuals are three times more likely to commit suicide than those who are married.

The Divorce Timeline
In the report, "First Marriage Dissolution, Divorce, and Remarriage:  United States," it was found that 1 in 3 first marriages ends within 10 years and 1 in 5 end within five years. These findings were based on data from the National Survey of Family Growth, a study of 10,847 women 15-44 years of age.

Divorce and a Woman’s Age
We’re not sure why this significant barometer is overlooked by masses; but the duration of marriage and the possibility of divorce is highly linked to a woman’s age at her first marriage. The older a woman is at her first marriage, the longer that marriage is likely to last. For example, fifty nine percent of marriages with the brides 18 and under end in separation or divorce within 15 years. Compare that with thirty six percent of the women who married at age 20 or over.

Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage
Younger women who divorce are more likely to remarry. Statistically speaking, 81% of those who divorced before age 25 remarry within 10 years. That’s compared to 68 percent of those divorced at age 25 or over.

Divorce Statistics For 1st, 2nd and 3rd Marriages
In America the divorce rate for first marriages is in the 41% to 50% range depending on what part of the country you reside in. The divorce rate of second marriages ranges 60% to 67%. After the third marriage, the divorce rate climbs to a startling 73% to 74%.

What do these divorce statistics mean? They mean we must admit obvious; we have been doing marriage altogether wrong! It is past time for us to find out where we have been missing it and get things back on track.