Patience as a Virtue: Divorce Rates Lower When Couples Marry
Later
In the Lehigh Valley Morning Call, Riley Yates points out
that taking one’s time before marrying can have real benefits.
Joshua Cole and Jessica Mack, recent newlyweds, feel pretty
good about their chances for a long and happy marriage. While surely every couple must feel this way
until at least the end of the honeymoon, Cole and Mack have a few facts on
their side:
- They both hold master’s
degrees.
- They dated for four years
before deciding to get married.
- They are
in their late 20s.
According to a growing number of sociologists and marriage
counselors, the above factors have kept marriages intact in increasing numbers
over the past twenty years. People in
Cole and Mack’s situation are more likely to take marriage seriously, and more
likely to be cautious before finally taking the plunge. According to Mack, it was all part of a
master plan.
"We both wanted to finish our master’s degrees, have a
stable career and be able to buy a home."
In Pennsylvania, the number of divorces has been falling
since the mid-1990s. In 2007, there were
40,627 filing for divorce in the state, down more than 10% from the 1995
totals. Two counties did even better, with Lehigh County seeing
divorce rates fall by 25%, and Northampton county measuring 15%
fewer splits.
The shrinking numbers indicate that change continues in
marriage, a fundamental institution in society. Marriage counseling is more prevalent, the overall education level is
higher, and there are actually fewer marriages these days, in part because
couples are waiting longer to tie the knot.
Paul Amato, a sociologist at Penn State University, agrees
that the growing trend to wait longer to get married is driving down the
numbers.
"Couples who marry at older ages tend to have more stable
relationships." He also says that
college graduates see lower rates of divorce.
The math is persuasive. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half
of marriages involving 18- or 19-year-olds fail within 15 years. For couples marrying in their mid-twenties,
that number drops down to 35%.
Divorce rates climbed during the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s for a
number of reasons, including a growing women’s movement that empowered women to
make more choices for themselves in marriage, including when to end it, a
movement that also led to changes in the law that made it easier for couples to
divorce.
Tom Strohl, a marriage counselor in Allentown, Pa.,
says that he senses a change in the way divorce is regarded in society. People getting married today are more likely
to be the children of divorce and therefore wish to avoid putting their
children through a similar situation if at all possible.
Strohl also says that more couples are seeking marriage
counseling at a young age when problems arise, and he has also notice a
significant rise in the number of men who take the first step to seek
help.
Joshua Cole and Jessica Mack will just have to wait and see
what the future holds for their union, but given their bona fides, they have
more than a fighting chance to make it work.
Source: The
Morning Call
