The Recession & Divorce

Money is a common source of conflict in many relationships and is often the cause of divorce.  One would think that difficult economic times would increase quarrels over finances and ultimately lead to heightened divorce rates.  In fact, the opposite is true.  An article written by the director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia indicated that from 2007 to 2008, divorce rates dropped from17.5 per 1,000 married women to 16.9 per 1,000 married women.

So why the slow-down?  It seems that when money gets tights, people try to hold on to what they have and look to their spouses for support.  When there is less money to spend couples tend to cut back on vacations, going to the movies, shopping, and eating out.  With fewer distractions they are able to spend more quality time at home and reconnect with one another.   

Another explanation for the lowered divorce rates is that couples simply do not want to take on another expense by initiating a divorce when money is tight.  Some predict that once the economy recovers divorce rates will spike as more couples have the means to enter into litigation that is often time consuming and costly. 

Although the short term effects of the recession seem to have stabilized many marriages, the future may not be so bright.  An article written by a visiting professor of sociology at the University of Iowa noted that 75% of the job loss has impacted men.  In many cases, men have been forced to rely on their spouse's income, which leads to relationship strains.  This is especially true for the poor and working class who have been hit particularly hard by the economic crisis.  Unfortunately, this means the stability and quality of married life among lower-income couples is being threatened as men's economic contributions to their families becomes less significant. 

Despite some positive effects of the current recession, the economic downturn has also placed added pressures on many marriages.  The situation is scary because no one really knows what the long term impact will be.  It seems that couples will just have to do the best that they can while they wait for circumstances to improve.