Assignment #7 - Divorce

1) Find a newspaper, magazine, or journal article or blog that discusses any aspect of recent research on divorce. Then:

A. Provide a full reference for the article in APA format at the top of your blog post. This includes the authorname, title of the article, title of the scholarly journal of newspaper/magazine name etc. the title of the article.

Birditt, K. S., Brown, E., McIlvane, J. M., & Orbuch, T. L. (2010). Marital conflict behaviors

and implications for divorce over 16 years. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72, 1188-

1204. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00758.x

2) Then, using what you learned from the Readings by Rutter (#16) and Li (#17) in your RISMAN textbook.

B. Describe and then explain what the divorce statistics mean. Reference both articles to show you have read the chapters. Use your own words, but note page numbers.

In accordance with V. E. Rutter (2010), there was an increase in divorce rates in the United States between the years of 1880 and 1960 (Rutter, 2010, p. 159). After the year 1960 hit, rates of divorce in the United States sky rocketed until 1980, when statistics showed that nearly 50% of all marriages were ending in divorces (Rutter, 2010, p. 159). Since 1980, the rates of divorce have leveled off and the United States has not seen much of a change in divorce statistics, concluding that nearly about half of all marriages are still tending to result in a divorce (Rutter, 2010, p. 159). Similarly, K. S. Birditt, E. Brown, J. M. McIlvane, and T. L. Orbuch (2010), state that “large percentage of marriages end in divorce with estimates ranging from 40% – 50%” (Birditt, Brown, McIlvane, et al., 2010).

In addition to divorce statistics defined as the percentage of individuals whose marriages end in divorces, divorce statistics can also be examined by focusing on characteristics and factors that contribute to the rates of divorce. Rutter (2010) suggests that marriage quality, among many others, is a major factor to be taken into consideration when asked whether divorce is better than staying married for some individuals (Rutter, 2010, p. 165). She states that unhappy marriages can cause many negative outcomes for the couples within that marriage (Rutter, 2010, p. 166). One study discovered that “depression for men and women in unhappy marriages was twenty-five times more likely than for people in happy marriages” (Ruttger, 2010, p. 166). In relation to what Hetherington has found through research studies, for many, “divorce is better than livning in a high-conflict family” (Rutter, 2010, p. 165). This compares with what Birditt, Brown, McIlvane, and Orbuch (2010) found by focusing their research on the impact of marital conflict on divorce (Birditt, Brown, McIlvane, et al., 2010). These researchers examined conflict behaviors evident in the marriages of a sample of White and Black American couples by studying the use of destructive, constructive, and withdrawal behaviors self-reported by these individuals (Birditt, Brown, McIlvane, et al., 2010). Agreeing with Hetherington’s findings, they concluded that the use of conflict behaviors in a marriage predicted the likelihood of a divorce at some point over 16 years of marriage (Birditt, Brown, McIlvane, et al., 2010). Specifically, these researchers found that destructive conflict behaviors typically resulted in a decrease in marriage stability and satisfaction, eventually leading to divorce (Birditt, Brown, McIlvane, et al., 2010).

Although Birditt, Brown, McIlvane, and Orbuch’s (2010) research did not focus on the effect that troubled marriages have on children, if one were to use J. A. Li’s (2010) results to determine the impact that the use of conflict behaviors in a marriage can have on children, one could assume that a marriage that has high levels of conflict may or may not serve as a positive environment for the children of that struggling couple. To use myself as an example, my parents have always seen situations on different pages. Although the tension between my parents was never huge, it gradually worsened as my sister and I got older. At the beginning of this month, my parents finally finalized their divorce after twenty-three years of being married. I do not feel that this has had a negative impact on me but rather, it’s made me realize the importance of honesty and communication in relationships. My story is a perfect example of what Li suggested when he said that “one must admit that while certain divorces harm children, others benefit them” (Li, 2010, p. 176). Although I am sad that my parents were not able to remain married, I do feel that their divorce caused me to be better with the relationships in my own life and have such honest communication with others. Therefore, although researchers have in fact discovered that conflict in a marriage can have negative impacts on the couple as well as their children, divorce can be a positive thing sometimes, too.

C. Discuss whether or not the research/statistics seem accurate and evaluate the method used or the sample population.

I definitely think that the research and statistics in the journal article that I found seem accurate. I have learned over and over again that the divorce rate in the United States is around 50%, and the researchers in the article have only confirmed that statistic. Considering that the researchers also used random samples in their study, I feel that I can trust their findings and believe that they are not bias. The sample population that the researchers in this study used were White and Black American couples who were anywhere between newlyweds and couples who have been married for up to 16 years. I have learned through this course that random samples are among the best research methods to be used, so I support the method that the researchers in my article implemented in their study.

D. How could the research be improved?

One obvious way that I believe this research could have been improved would have been if researchers used a more diverse sample of participants. Although I know that it is difficult and that the results in this study suggested that race is not a significant factor for determining causes of divorce, I still think that they could have used more races or even couples who are already divorced to fill out their surveys and questionnaires regarding conflict behaviors. I also feel that the surveys, questionnaires, and interviews could have been more detailed. Rather than breaking down conflict behaviors into three categories (destructive, constructive, withdrawal), they could have been more specific in asking questions about what causes these conflicts, the duration that these conflict behaviors lasted, etc. By conducting more in-depth interviews, I think that the researchers could have obtained greater amounts of useful information from their participants.