1. Introduction to Family Studies
Divorce
4/25/2017
Introduction to Family Studies

2. Divorce How has the divorce rate changed over time?
How is the divorce rate measured?
Who is more likely to divorce?
What are the social and economic explanations for higher divorce rates?
What is the effect of divorce on adults and children?

3. Measuring Divorce
Crude divorce rate – the number of divorces per 1000 in the population.
Why is this a poor measure of divorce?
Crude divorce rate is a faulty measure because it includes members of the population not at risk
Refined divorce rate – best measure; the number of divorces per 1000 married women over age 15

4. Measuring Divorce Divorce Rates
Between 1960 and 1979, the refined divorce rate rose from 9.2 to 22.8
From 1979 to 1996, the rate dropped from 22.8 to 19.5
In 1997 the refined divorce rate was 19.8

5. Annual Divorce Rate per 1,000 Marriages
United States,

6. Measuring divorce
Women marrying today have about a 50 percent chance of divorcing – but that is if trends remain the same
50 percent of first marriages will EVENTUALLY end in divorce – but remember that is over the lifetime of a marriage!
Divorce could occur in the 2nd year of marriage or the 10th year.

7. Measuring divorce What is the divorce rate?
In a given year your risk of divorce is much lower than 50 percent!
We use the refined divorce rate: the rate of divorces per 1,000 married women age 15 and older per year
For example, in 2001 about 16 out of 1,000 married women got divorced
In other words, 1.6 percent received a divorce in 2001
Source:

8. Measuring divorce For those in their first marriage, who did divorce…
They were married, on average, 8 years
Source:

9. Latest data on Marriage and Divorce Rate

10. Geography of Divorce The divorce rate varies by state
Which state(s) do you think have a higher divorce rate and why?
Nevada…easy divorce laws
Which state(s) have lower divorce rates and why?
Massachusetts – may have to do with stricter alimony laws or high percentage of Catholics
Source:

11. “I’m surprised I’m still single, I thought I’d be divorced by now”

12. How is divorce related to social, demographic, or economic changes?
4/25/2017
How is divorce related to social, demographic, or economic changes?
Social norm change: As more people divorce
Response: The stigma associated with divorce lessens
Economic change: Increase in women working for pay
Response: Women can afford to leave unhappy marriages
Demographic change: Increased incidence of divorce
Response: More children will grow up in single-parent families

13. Why did the divorce rate increase from 1960s – 1980s?
No one can say for sure what explanation is more important.
Some argue that the introduction of
no-fault divorce laws are responsible for the rise in divorces.
No-fault divorce laws made it easier to seek a divorce
No fault divorce – distribution of marital property is no longer based on fault
Instead distribution is equitable – each person gets an equal share

14. Why did the divorce rate increase from 1960s – 1980s?
1) Attitudes towards divorce have changed as divorce has become more common – i.e. the stigma attached to divorce has lessened
2) More young married women in the labor force
Now that wives can support themselves – as they are more likely to be employed - they have an alternative staying in an unhappy marriage
In sum – today - not necessarily more unhappy marriages…
Now it is easier to leave an unhappy marriage

15. Individual characteristics associated with divorce
Age
People who marry as teenagers are more likely to divorce than those who marry at older ages
Why?
You will likely still be developing and changing in major ways when you are a teen
AND
Many teen marriages result from an unintended pregnancy – not a good basis for a marriage
HOWEVER new research shows that marrying after age 35 is linked to higher rate of divorce

16. Individual characteristics associated with divorce
Education level
Those with lower level of education are more likely to divorce than those with higher levels of education IQ
Higher IQ may indicate greater problem solving ability, which may help couples work through issues that arise in their marriage

17. Individual characteristics associated with divorce
Race & Ethnicity
Regardless of educational level, African-Americans have higher rates of divorce than whites

18. Likelihood of Staying in First Marriage by Race/Ethnicity

19. Predicting Divorce Divorce is a process
Often, there are signs of trouble long before the divorce
People report trouble long before they actually decide to divorce

20. 4/25/2017
Children & Divorce
The most talked about consequence of divorce is the effect it has on children.
Given the rates of divorce in the late 1970s and early 1980s, about two-fifths of all children will have experienced a marital disruption by age 16.
Other major topics we will cover this semester include:

21. Children & Divorce
A major problem is that many women and children do not receive child support, even when it is court ordered
2/3 of families with no father present who were supposed to receive child support, actually do receive support
Only 48 percent of families actually receive any support

22. Child Support Data, 2007

23. Children & Divorce
Most mothers still retain custody of children after a divorce
Custody involves decisions about
who will have responsibility for the children?
where will the children live?
Legal custody refers to having the right to make important decisions about the child’s life
Physical custody refers to where children actually live

24. Children & Divorce
Most mothers still retain custody of children after a divorce
Joint custody is becoming more common
Joint legal custody – based on the idea that parent’s responsibilities towards their children have not changed
Joint physical custody - children spend at least 33% of their time with each parent

25. Children & Divorce Joint physical custody is growing
Children spend substantial time in the household of each parent – but in reality mothers still have custody more of the time

26. Children & Divorce Father involvement
Why do fathers fade from children’s lives after divorce?
Visits to children are painful reminder of failed marriage
Fathers investing in new family if they remarry
Cherlin speculates that fathers related only indirectly to children through wife

27. Children & Divorce
Rather than practicing coparenting after a divorce, most families practice parallel parenting: after several years – parents go about parenting separately
Father only families are growing rapidly
From 1980 to 1998 – the number of father-headed families tripled
19 percent of single-parent families are headed by fathers
4 percent of all children live in single-father families

28. 4/25/2017
Divorce
Summary
Divorce has increased steadily from the 1960s to the 1980’s
The biggest increases were during the 1960s-1970’s
Divorce rate has leveled off and has begun to decline in the past few years

29. 4/25/2017
Divorce
Summary
Most mothers retain custody of children after a divorce
Many fathers don’t pay court-ordered child support
Father involvement with children may fade after a divorce
Danielle will give a lecture on Fatherhood
And Bari will give a lecture on motherhood
We will read Hochschld as well as some research that I have done