1. Chapter 13: Uncoupling: Relationship Deterioration and Divorce

2. Today’s Divorce Trends
Crude Divorce Rate – the number of divorces that occur per 1000 in a population
Useful for comparing trends over time
Rates increased with no-fault divorce legislation in the 70s
Divorce rate began to decline in the 90s

3. Correlates of Divorce The following are predictors of divorce
Couple’s age
Premarital pregnancy
Parental separation
Cohabitation before marriage
Religiosity of the couple
Socio-economic background of the couple

4. Figure 13.1: Actual Number of divorces and Crude Divorce Rates in the United States, 1965-2008

5. Age at Marriage
Women who marry before they are 20 are most likely to divorce
Men who are 5 years older or younger than their spouse are more likely to divorce

6. Teenagers Factors that contribute to marital breakup
Emotional immaturity
Lack of marital preparation
Poor marital role performance
Lack of life coping skills
Less support from family and friends
Less social pressure to remain together

7. Premarital Pregnancy
Correlation between premarital pregnancy or premarital childbearing and subsequent marital dissolution is high.

8. Parental Separation Inter-generational transmission of divorce
Children of divorce have less experience with successful role models, they have less ability to cope with the difficulties of marriage

9. Premarital Cohabitation
Over 50% of cohabiting relationships end in divorce within 5 years
Similar findings have occurred in other countries such as Australia, Britain, Canada, Germany and Sweden

10. Cohabitation Factors Contributing to Divorce
Cohabitation requires a lesser commitment
Cohabiting men are less marriage-minded than women
Cohabiters are typically less religious
Cohabiters have higher rates of relationship violence
Cohabiters have higher levels of marital expectations

11. Religiosity Higher divorce rates are found among those couples:
who do not have a religious preference
who do not hold strong religious beliefs

12. Figure 13.2: Who’s Been Divorced by Religion

13. Socioeconomic Background
Those at greater risks of divorce are
From lower socioeconomic background
Have lower levels of educational attainment
Related risk factors
Lower socioeconomic backgrounds
More likely to marry at young ages

14. Sociocultural Causes of Divorce
Secularization trends
Marriage no longer a covenant or binding union between husband and wife
Desacrilization contributes to temporary nature of marriage
Liberalization of divorce laws
No fault divorce laws
Divorce socially and culturally accepted

15. Individualism Trends
Western cultures have become more individualistic in recent years
Marriage emphasizes individuals’ needs rather than mutual responsibilities
Emphasis on individual fulfillment increases demands on the marriage
Mutual support is sacrificed for individual fulfillment

16. Figure 13.3: Opinion of Divorce

17. Unrealistic Expectations
There is a lower level of tolerance
Marriages are expected to meet individual expectations for
Fulfillment
Contentment
Happiness
Companionship

18. Cultural Forces Ways in which cultural forces impact divorce trends
Changes in popular opinion
Divorce laws are more consistent with behaviors of those seeking divorce
Acceptance of divorce by religions
Recognition of impact of special groups
Helping professionals make process less painful

19. Figure 13.4: Views About Divorce by Gender, Race, and Age

20. Racial and Ethnic Differences in Divorces
Economic stability affects divorce
In 2-parent families where only father works
8% white
23% black
35% Hispanic

21. Racial and Ethnic Differences in Divorces
African American couples are
Most likely to cohabit
Most likely to have children outside of marriage
More likely to have parents who are divorced

22. Racial and Ethnic Differences in Divorces
Hispanic couples are
Educationally and economically disadvantaged
Have high levels of marital satisfaction and marital quality
Focused on familialism
Predominantly Catholic

23. Process of Relationship Decline
1. Dyadic breakdown
Many causes of marital dissatisfaction
Financial difficulties
Sex and sexuality difficulties
Alcohol or other substance abuse
Conflict
Individual needs not being met

24. Process of Relationship Decline
2. Intrapsychic Phase
- Focus on aspects of relationship that are not satisfactory
- Conflict may escalate
- Attitudes become negative, pessimistic or distrustful

25. Process of Relationship Decline
3. Dyadic phase
Couples discuss their dissatisfaction with marriage
Attempt to find resolution
Discuss intent to end relationship
Some may become emotionally divorced

26. Process of Relationship Decline
4. Social phase
Disclose news of impending divorce to friends and family
Public announcement
Family metacognition- spouses share problems in marriage with others
Time of insecurity and imbalance in family
Account making: what led to deterioration of marriage

27. Process of Relationship Decline
Grave dressing
Couple must come to terms with breakdown/break-up of marriage
Involves a loss of intimacy in the relationship
Breakdown in the interaction patterns

28. Transition to Divorce Emotional Divorce First three transitions
Decision
Announcement
Separation

29. Separations Disruptions in family relationships No clear cut rules
Disorderly separation – sudden
Abandonment
Creates a crisis state for those left behind
Orderly separation – planned
Still painful

30. The Formal Divorce
Family law establishes policies and regulations to ensure that married or divorced couples fulfill their obligations to each other and their children.
Laws ensure that
Each spouse supports one another
Deceased spouse’s property is shared
Spouses share equally in debts
Spouse has rights to deceased spouse’s benefits

31. Figure 13.5: Community Property and Equity Distribution States

32. Community Property Settlement
Properties to be negotiated
Marital property: assets owned by both spouses
Separate property: assets owned individually
Tangible property: homes, cars, furniture
Intangible property: assets that do not have market value, but have inherent value

33. Family Laws Guiding Property Division
Current and future earnings, also level of education, earning potential
Current standard of living – judges distribute assets so that neither partner suffers a decline in lifestyle
Individual contributions to the marriage- unique contributions each spouse brought to the marriage

34. Family Laws Guiding Property Division
Length of the marriage – the longer the marriage, the more difficult it is to determine separate property
Age and health – older spouses, spouses in poorer mental condition
Equitable Distribution each spouse receives a fair share
Community property – 50/50 split

35. Spousal Support
Alimony – monetary payment that one spouse pays to the other spouse during and after the divorce proceedings
Commonly referred to as spousal support
Rehabilitative alimony – short term payments

36. Child Support
Spouses have an obligation to provide for any children under 18
Payments are paid out in fixed, monthly payments
Based on parent’s gross income

37. Figure 13.6: Total Collections Received by Method of Collections, 2007

38. Figure 13.7: Total Current Support Due, 2008

39. Child Custody
Custody refers to who is responsible for the children’s financial, physical and emotional well-being
Legal custody – which parent has the right to make decisions about how the child is reared
Shared legal custody – both parents have an equal say in child’s upbringing

40. Joint Custody Shared decision making
Joint legal custody – both parents share equally in child rearing
Joint physical custody – children spend close to equal time with each parent
Joint legal and physical custody – both parents share equally in decisions and physical custody

41. Joint Custody
Physical custody – the parent has the right to have the child reside primarily with them
Sole custody – one parent is the primary parent (legally, physically, or both legally and physically)
Bird’s nest – joint custody where parents are the ones who move between homes

42. Divorce Mediation
A process that helps resolve child support, child custody, and property settlements
Divorce mediator – an objective third party to the divorce
Mediators
summarize each party’s information
Help each partner find options and solutions
Help partners find mutually-agreed upon settlement