Divorce and Relationship Dissolution

1
Divorce and Relationship Dissolution
2
Divorce Historical Trends

• Before the mid-18o0s, people married for physical
  and economic survival ? divorce not an option

3
National Picture
4
Age and Gender
5
Divorce Rates Globally

• Belgian (2002) fewest number of marriages in the
  EU and the highest number of divorces
• Korea prior to 1990, divorce was a cultural and
  legal taboo
• India (2004) estimated at 11 per 1000 people
• Japan rate rose from 22 in 1990 to 38 in
  2002.

6
Impact of Divorce

• On adults
• On children

7
Binuclear Families

• 2 households continue to interrelate
• Relationships between the 2 households can vary
  greatly

8
Challenges of Single Parent Families

• Financial
• Stigma
• Having to juggle everything and making decisions
  alone

9
Remarriages and Stepfamilies
10
Defining and Measuring Stepfamilies

• Can be formed through legal marriage,
  cohabitation, marriage after childbirth or other
  arrangements.
• Stepfamilies are more common in the United States
  than in any other industrialized nation.

11
Happiness, Satisfaction, and Stability in
Remarriage

• Marital happiness and marital satisfaction are
  synonymous phrases that refer to the quality of
  the marital relationship whether or not it is
  permanent.

12
The Stability of Remarriages

• Remarriages are less stable than first marriages.
• Selection effect is prevalent.