Is Divorce Contagious?

People notice patterns. Sometimes, these patterns are all in their minds and are a coincidence. Other times, the trends hold true and have something behind them. Researchers are always looking into human patterns of behavior to see if there is an actual quantifiable pattern. One such study is getting some attention recently. A new study has been getting a large amount of buzz lately. It studied divorce patterns. Specifically, it examined the question is divorce contagious. Researchers from the University of California at San Diego, Harvard University, and Brown University created this study.

Is Divorce Contagious: Study

The study focusing on is divorce contagious has results that do suggest that clusters of divorces happen among friends. There are a few things that researchers found within this data. One of the first things that they found is that these clusters can go within about two degrees of separation.

People that are popular among others are less likely to go through a divorce. However, these divorcees have a thicker social network than divorcees that were less popular. In addition, these popular divorcees are more likely to get remarried to another divorcee at a later date.

This study also looked at data involving these couples and children. It found that having children didn’t have an influence on whether or not people divorced. Interestingly enough, it did find that each child involved in the equation did have an impact on whether the divorce was influenced by a peer’s divorce. Having children reduced this susceptibility of having other divorces impact the likelihood of divorce.

The Credibility of the is Divorce Contagious Study

This research is a credible study on the pattern of social ties. The basis of this study is that it took data from another study that had a focus elsewhere. The Framingham Heart Study has been running for several generations. This famous study is looking at the condition surrounding heart disease, but it has collected a great deal of data on all of the different aspects of the subjects’ lives. Marriage and divorce are two statistics that are kept by the study. As the subjects are family or neighbors, the researchers determining is divorce contagious could use this longitudinal data set to examine it for a pattern. There is no bias in the data collection as it was collected for another purpose.

Your Takeaway

Don’t panic if your best friend, sister, cousin, or someone else in your life is getting a divorce. While the question of is divorce contagious has been examined, it doesn’t mean that a strong marriage is going to go down the tubes. The researchers found that the health of the marriages around your marriage can be an influence. A divorce doesn’t happen in a vacuum and can ripple out beyond the initial family going through it. The durability of a marriage can be enhanced by other strong relationships or influenced by those that have been weakened.

It is more than these relationships can help to highlight the effect that divorce has on the lives of those involved. It also takes away from the mystery and worries over divorce for those that are considering it. For some, the worry of the unknown is what stops them from taking that step forward. This study can show that there is a light at the other side of the dark tunnel for those contemplating this step.

Connecting With Your Divorced Friends

Your friends are a resource that can get you through good times and bad. You were probably there for them when they went through this process, and they can be there for you if you’re contemplating it. Their insights into how their life has changed can help you when making your decision on if divorce is right for your life. Connect with them.

Getting a Legal Professional Assistance

If you feel that you’re having issues with your marriage, speaking with a legal professional that’s experienced in these matters can help to put you at ease. It can take some of the uncertainty about the future. A legal professional can offer you advice on your particular situation, and what you can expect if you do decide to move forward. One thing to keep in mind is that consulting with a lawyer experienced in family law doesn’t necessarily mean that divorce is the only outcome. It’s about being preemptive in case the other options you have aren’t working for you.

Are you ready to learn more about divorce and how your life could be impacted? Contact Bansmer Law to discuss your family’s circumstances and the possibility of divorce. It can be scary to take that step forward, especially if you don’t know anyone that’s made this step, but you deserve to have a happy life. Divorce may be the step you need to achieve that state of being.