There are many different factors that can be used to predict a divorce. Nothing can correctly predict it in all cases, of course. However, the statistics indicate that certain groups of people are more likely to get divorced than others.
One example of this is when looking at people whose own parents got divorced when they were children. This does not mean that every marriage between young people with divorced parents is doomed to fail, but it is statistically more likely that someone will get a divorce if their parents also did so. It simply increases the odds.
Why does this happen?
Researchers have a variety of theories for why this may happen, although every relationship – and every divorce – is unique.
For example, one hypothesis says that people learn their relationship skills from their parents. So if your parents ultimately got divorced because they had poor communication skills, you may have learned that same behavior yourself. This can hinder your communication with your own spouse, increasing the odds that the two of you will also get divorced.
Another theory says that people who have watched their parents get divorced are going to be less committed to their own relationships. If your parents have stayed married over the years, you may still view marriage as something that lasts forever. But if your parents got divorced 20 years ago, you know firsthand that many marriages fall apart. You may anticipate a future divorce or not be able to commit to your own marriage in the same way.
What are your options?
Have you and your spouse recently been talking about divorce? It can be a complicated process and you need to know exactly what legal options you have.