Marital Disruption Research Articles

Partners’ Age Difference and Marital Dissolution in Italy. A Cohort Comparison

Among the factors related to marital disruption, age assortative mating (who marries whom in terms of age) has received less attention than others. In this study, we study the association between partners’ age difference and marital disruption in Italy, a late-comer country in divorce legislation and highly conservative in its culture and institutions. We also show how this association varies across marriage cohorts. We employ data from “Families, social subjects and life cycle” (FSS), collected in 2016 by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat). We analyse micro-level retrospective information on first-marriage histories between the 1970s and the 1990s through an event-history approach. Results show that age hypogamous couples (where the woman is older than the man) have a higher likelihood of marital disruption compared to couples where the wife is the same age or younger than her husband. However, this higher risk reduces among the youngest cohorts. We discuss the possible drivers of this change in light of cultural changes that occurred in recent decades. * This article belongs to a special issue on “Changes in Educational Homogamy and Its Consequences”.

The devastating dance between opioid and housing crises: Evidence from OxyContin reformulation

Housing instability and drug misuse are two of the United States' most pressing challenges, each bearing profound health and societal consequences. A crucial yet largely underexplored question is the extent to which the opioid crisis has intensified housing instability. Our study ventures into this relatively uncharted nexus, investigating how the OxyContin reformulation, a pivotal moment in the U.S. opioid epidemic, impacted eviction rates. Employing a dose-response Difference-in-Differences model and analyzing eviction data from 2004 to 2016, we demonstrate that the OxyContin reformulation precipitated a significant increase in evictions, especially in areas with weak eviction protections or limited access to psychiatric treatment resources. Channel analyses reveal increased marijuana initiation and heightened mental and physical health issues following the reformulation. Moreover, the OxyContin reformulation leads to greater reliance on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, signaling an escalated financial strain on governmental resources. Finally, we find evidence of increased marital disruption post-reformulation. Our findings underscore the urgent need for collaborative efforts between public health and housing authorities to address both the opioid and housing crises.

Religiosity, Aging in the Homeland, and Growing Old in the Diaspora: A Longitudinal Study of Two Cohorts of Indian Older Adults.

This article reports a longitudinal study comparing religiosity among two cohorts of Indian older adults-those who age in the homeland of India (AIH cohort) and immigrants (to the USA) or diaspora older adults (DOA). Results indicated that AIH and DOA cohorts' religiosity outcomes were comparable at baseline but there was a statistically significant increase in all outcomes of the DOA cohort at subsequent time points. Women and single older adults in both the cohorts had higher religiosity scores at baseline. Religiosity scores were higher among those in the DOA cohort who migrated following marital disruption (widowhood, divorce) or grandchild birth and lived with adult immigrant children and their families. The immigration process can have an impact on religious orientation of older adults and place is a significant variable impacting religiosity possibly for augmenting the sense of self, acquire social capital and preserve cultural identity in the foreign land.

Infertility Among Married Women in Northern India: A Qualitative Study of Coping Strategies and Social Stigmas

Objectives: The present study aimed to explore the emotional and social lives of the women with infertility issues in the Northern States of India. Materials and Methods: In this study, a purposive sampling technique was adopted to examine a total of 17 married women aged 28-40. The hermeneutic phenomenology design was employed and the in-depth interviews, both face-to-face and online interviews, were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. Results: The results from the analysis were classified into four major themes, namely Social Pressure, Psychological Vulnerabilities, Marital Disruption, and Coping Strategies. Issues reported by the participants such as the lack of purpose, insecurities in relationships, social stigmas and feelings of being incomplete, as well as high cost of infertility treatment were recorded. It was found that religious coping strategy was the most common strategy used by the participants to deal with their infertility. Conclusions: In the present study, women’s psychological and emotional pains caused by infertility and, particularly, by stigmas were investigated. It was concluded that women rarely sought help from counselors and psychologists to overcome their psychological vulnerabilities.

Parental Divorce in Childhood and the Accelerated Epigenetic Aging for Earlier and Later Cohorts: Role of Mediators of Chronic Depressive Symptoms, Education, Smoking, Obesity, and Own Marital Disruption

We examine effects of parental divorce on epigenetic aging in later adulthood for two birth cohorts: one born in the early 20th century and the other born in the later 20th century. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (n = 1,545), we examine the relationship between parental divorce in childhood and accelerated epigenetic aging in older adulthood as indicated by the Dunedin methylation Pace of Aging score. We assess how this relationship is mediated by chronic depressive symptoms, education, lifetime smoking, body mass index (BMI), and an older adult’s own divorce. The mean age of the earlier cohort is 85.8 (SD = 3.9) and that of the later cohort is 60.2 (SD = 2.8). We find that parental divorce was related to faster aging in the later-born cohort, and that 56% of this relationship (b = 0.060) was mediated by chronic depressive symptoms (b = 0.013), lower education levels (b = 0.005), and smoking (b = 0.019). For the earlier cohort, there was no effect of parental divorce on epigenetic aging. Parental divorce in childhood may have lasting effects on later-life health, as reflected in the rate of epigenetic aging. However, the effects and mechanisms of this relationship differ across cohorts living in different social environments.

An interactive bi-disruption model for marital instability with stability analysis

Marital instability has a devastating effect on our society. In general, marital disruption results in negative physical and psychological health outcomes, as well as adverse economic consequences for children, adolescents and adults. An all-interactive bi-disruption state model is proposed and the stability of the disruption-free equilibrium of the model is explored. The aim is to examine the effects of both homogenous and heterogenous interactions on the propagation potential (the basic reproductive number) of marital disruptions. The homogenous interaction epitomizes couples’ own interaction in the marriage, while heterogenous interactions represent couples’ interactions with individuals of other unstable states. Stability analysis of the marital disruption-free equilibrium was established using both the Routh Stability and Castilos-Chavez GAS criteria. It was revealed that the marital disruption-free is locally and globally asymptotically stable whenever the basic reproductive number is less than unity. The dynamics were further demonstrated through sensitivity analysis of the parameters using the RK4 simulation technique, achieved with codes implemented in R. As the simulation results evince, increases of 33% and 17% in the rates of homogenous resolution and remarriage, as well as 13% and 15% decreases in the rates of heterogenous contacts respectively between individuals of states M and P; and M and D are enough to ensure stability of marriages. The study therefore, has crucial guidelines to minimize marital instability.

Child marriage, marital disruption, and marriage thereafter: evidence from a national survey

BackgroundThis study examines the relationship between women’s ages at their first marriages and the marital disruption among those who experienced child marriages and those who did not as well as identifies some compromises that women make in their remarriages after previous marital disruptions.MethodsThe data of 57,476 women from the 2019 Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey were analysed using multivariable logistic and linear regressions. Women’s compromises in their remarriages were examined by determining the age differences with their current husbands, whether the current husband has another wife and their attitudes toward the justification of intimate partner violence by husbands.ResultsAlmost 65% of women experienced child marriage, and its prevalence is higher in rural (66.5%) than in urban areas (59.2%). The probability of marital disruptions decreases as the ages at the first marriages rise among women who experienced child marriages and increase among women who did not. Women living in rural areas are less likely than those living in urban areas to report marital dissolution (AOR 0.81, 95% CI 0.73–0.90). Also, women who completed relatively more years of education or have greater wealth are less likely to report marital disruptions and those who never gave birth are more likely to report these (AOR 3.54, 95% CI 3.14–3.99). Women who remarried after previous disruptions are more likely to report that their new husbands are, on average, almost 12 years older than they are, and have another wife. Also, those who experienced marital disruptions are more likely than others to believe that husbands are justified in beating their wives in certain circumstances.ConclusionThe odd of marital disruption decreases with the ages at first marriage among women who experienced child marriage and increase among women who did not. There is a curvilinear relationship between women’s ages at their first marriages and the probability of marital disruptions. Making compromises in remarriages after disruptions is common. Because marital disruption is increasing, appropriate policies are needed to address the adverse outcomes of divorces that ensue.

Marital Disruption and Disparity in Tobacco Use in Reproductive-Aged Women: Evidence from India

Marital disruption defined as widowhood, divorce, or separation, has adverse consequences for women’s health and wellbeing. Extant evidence, however, is primarily available for older women or in developed country settings. Consequences of marital disruption for younger women in the developing countries is relatively less visited. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to assess whether maritally disrupted women of reproductive age (18–49 years) had differential risk of tobacco-use compared to their married counterparts. Using nationally representative data from India, we estimated multivariable logistic regressions to obtain the odds in favor of tobacco-use for maritally disrupted women. We found that compared to women remained in marriage, maritally disrupted women were 1.5 times (95% CI: 1.4–1.6) more likely to consume tobacco. The higher risk of tobacco-use of maritally disrupted women was evident in both younger (age 18–34) and older (age 35–49) cohorts. The results were robust across urban and rural areas, high- and low- education groups, and poor- and non-poor households. The higher odds of tobacco-use among maritally disrupted women persisted even after accounting for household fixed effects. The study findings thus, have implications for strengthening targeted tobacco control policies and health promotion among maritally disrupted women in low-and-middle income countries.

Sleep Efficiency and Naturalistically-Observed Social Behavior Following Marital Separation: The Critical Role of Contact with an Ex-partner.

Marital disruption is associated with increased risk for a range of poor health outcomes, including disturbed sleep. This report examines trajectories of actigraphy-assessed sleep efficiency following marital separation as well as the extent to which daily social behaviors and individual differences in attachment explain variability in these trajectories over time. One hundred twenty-two recently-separated adults (N = 122) were followed longitudinally for three assessment periods over five months. To objectively assess daily social behaviors and sleep efficiency, participants wore the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR) during the day (for one weekend at each assessment period) and an actiwatch at night (for seven days at each assessment period). Greater time spent with an ex-partner, as assessed by the EAR, was associated with decreased sleep efficiency between participants (p = .003). Higher attachment anxiety was also associated with decreased sleep efficiency (p = .03), as was the EAR-observed measure of "television on." The latter effect operated both between (p = .004) and within participants (p = .005). Finally, study timepoint moderated the association between EAR-observed measure of "television on" and sleep efficiency (p = .007). The current findings deepen our understanding of sleep disturbances following marital separation and point to contact with an ex-partner and time spent with the television on as behavioral markers of risk.

Parental divorce and smoking dependence in Lebanese adolescents: the mediating effect of mental health problems

BackgroundLebanon has the highest prevalence estimates among Middle Eastern countries and Arab women regarding cigarette smoking, with 43% of men and 28% of women involved in such trends. Marital disruption is a tremendous source of irritability and discomfort that may hinder a child's healthy development, creating perturbing distress and increasing disobedience that may exacerbate smoking addiction. Additionally, Lebanese adolescents are inflicted by high emotional and economic instability levels, rendering increased susceptibility to distress and propensity to engage in addictive behavior. This study aims to investigate the association between parental divorce and smoking dependence among Lebanese adolescents, along with exploring the potential mediating effect of mental health disorders of such correlation.MethodsA total of 1810 adolescents (14 and 17 years) enrolled in this cross-sectional survey-based study (January-May 2019). Linear regressions were conducted to check for variables associated with cigarette and waterpipe dependence. PROCESS v3.4 model 4 was used to check for the mediating effect of mental health disorders between parental divorce and smoking dependence.ResultsHigher suicidal ideation and having divorced parents vs living together were significantly associated with more cigarette and waterpipe dependence. Higher anxiety was significantly associated with more waterpipe dependence. Insomnia and suicidal ideation played a mediating role between parental divorce and cigarette/waterpipe dependence.ConclusionOur results consolidate the results found in the literature about the association between parental divorce and smoking addiction and the mediating effect of mental health issues. We do not know still in the divorce itself or factors related to it are incriminated in the higher amount of smoking in those adolescents. Those results should be used to inspire parents about the deleterious effect of divorce on their children to lower their risk of smoking addiction. Further longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the complexity of such associations and to see whether the divorce experience by itself or the factors that accompany it are involved in the increased smoking addiction among adolescents.

The (non) impact of education on marital dissolution

Despite the relevant role attributed to education on marital outcomes, literature does not show a generalized consensus regarding a positive or negative effect from education on marital decisions. In this paper the impact of education on marriage dissolution is analysed exploiting a change in the length of compulsory education in Mexico in 1993 as an instrument for education. The federal government increased compulsory education from completion of primary school, sixth grade, to completion of secondary school, ninth grade, at a national level. In the first part of the analysis, the probit models reveal that education is significant and negatively related to the probability of marital breakdown. An additional year of education is associated with a decrease between 0.6 and 0.9 percentage points in the probability of marital disruption for the 2002-2012 period. However, the results using the instrumental variables methodology indicate that an additional year of schooling has no effect on the probability of marriage dissolution. This finding demonstrates that the relationship between education and divorce is not causal and suggests that although higher levels of education are an undeniable trait observed in non-broken marriages, it is not education by itself one of the mechanisms leading to better marriage outcomes.

The Ex-Factor: Examining the Gendered Effect of Divorce on Voter Turnout

The absence of a gendered analysis of the effect of marriage on voting is surprising given researchers’ cognizance of the heterogeneous effects of marriage on a range of other social outcomes. In this paper, we shed new light on spousal dependency by studying the gendered effect of marital disruption, in the form of divorce, on voter turnout. First, drawing on Swedish populationwide data, we use the differential timing of divorces in relation to general elections to generate more credible estimates of the causal effect of divorce on turnout. Second, although we find that both sexes are adversely affected by divorce, we show that the effect is much more pronounced for men. Specifically, the long-term effect is almost twice as large for men. Finally, we use these data to show that the gendered effect of divorce is mainly driven by asymmetrical spousal mobilization due to higher levels of turnout among women.

Parental addiction, conflicts and marital disruption: perception of adult children of divorced parents

Divorce is a stressful event often combined with spouse conflict which significantly affects the way children experience the consequences of family reorganization. Various factors contribute to the impact of divorce on child development, one of the most decisive being the quality of parental relationship prior to, during and after divorce.
 The article addresses one main question how spouses’ conflict during the process of divorce is intertwined with a child’s experience. 
 Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 adult children (7 men and 13 women) from divorced families. Adults ranged in age 21 to 42 years old. Five to twenty years passed from their parents’ divorce.
 The results show that in the cases of violent parents’ relationships or family relationships with addiction prior to divorce, the participants experienced relief when the nuclear family dissolved; however, in most cases conflict between parents persisted after divorce, the child being torn between both parents. When the conflict between the parents is combined with various addictions, the consequences for the child are even more devastating. In most cases, children were left to themselves.
 The findings of this study can therefore contribute to creating various forms of educational, consulting, or therapeutic help.

A change is (not) gonna come: a 20-year overview of Italian grandparent\u2013grandchild exchanges

Levels of coresidence, residential proximity, face-to-face contacts and intergenerational support exchanges remain overall high and stable across European countries. However, to date, few studies have focused on trends in grandparent–grandchild relations. Therefore, this study aims to investigate whether and to what extent grandparent–grandchild exchanges have changed over time. We used data from the Italian Family and Social Subjects (FSS) Surveys, covering the years 1998–2016, and considered three different currencies of exchanges between grandparents and their grandchildren (coresidence, face-to-face contacts, and grandchild care provision). Our results showed stability over time in coresidence, a small reduction in daily contacts (from 47% in 1998 to 39% in 2016) and an increase in grandchildren care (from 78% in 1998 to 82% in 2016). In addition, we found little changes in the associations between such indicators of intergenerational exchanges and the demographic and socio-economic determinants usually used to explain them. Despite changes among Italian grandparents such as increases in their age profile, in education, and in marital disruption, the relations between grandparents and their grandchildren have so far remained stable over time, with generally high levels of intergenerational exchanges.

Psychological distress across intersections of race/ethnicity, gender, and marital status during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT Objectives Analyze how psychological distress in the U.S. population during the COVID-19 pandemic differed across race/ethnicity, gender, and marital status. Design Cross-sectional data collected March 19-24, 2020, as a part of the American Trends Panel (ATP) were used for this study (N=9,976). Weighted descriptive statistics were estimated. Next, generalized linear models were used to assess differences in psychological distress by race/ethnicity, gender, and marital status. Multivariate Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analyses were estimated to assess patterns of psychological distress across race/ethnicity-gender net of COVID-19 pandemic variables and control variables. Lastly, OLS regression models were used to assess psychological distress by marital status. Wald tests were completed to compare distress across race/ethnicity-gender. Results Adjusting for COVID-19 stressors and control variables, White women frequently reported higher distress compared to the other groups. Hispanic men reported lower distress symptoms than White men and Hispanic women. The cohabiting and married had lower distress symptoms compared to the never married. In the analyses by marital status, race/ethnicity-gender differences were present among the never married, married, and marital disruption groups such that White women reported higher distress than other groups. Black married women reported greater distress symptoms compared to married White and Hispanic men. Conclusions The findings of this study show that White women were especially vulnerable to psychological distress at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, despite marriage being a health-promoting status, it is only among the married that Black women reported greater distress than other groups. Married Black women and White women generally need psychological health resources as they are perhaps overtaxed in meeting the demands of family, such as teaching school-age children in the home or caring for elders during the pandemic.

Effects of divorce and widowhood on subsequent health behaviours and outcomes in a sample of middle-aged and older Australian adults

Marital disruption is a common life event with potential health implications. We examined the prospective association of divorce/widowhood with subsequent lifestyles, psychological, and overall health outcomes within short and longer terms using three waves of data from the 45 and Up Study in Australia (T1, 2006–09; T2, 2010; T3, 2012–16). Marital status and health-related outcomes were self-reported using validated questionnaires. Nine outcomes were examined including lifestyles (smoking, drinking, diet and physical activity), psychological outcomes (distress, anxiety and depression) and overall health/quality of life. Logistic regression was adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and baseline health outcomes. Of the 33,184 participants who were married at T1 (mean age 59.5 ± 9.3 years), after 3.4 years, 2.9% became divorced and 2.4% widowed at T2. Recent divorce was positively associated with smoking, poor quality of life, high psychological distress, anxiety and depression at T2. Similar but weaker associations were observed for widowhood. However, these associations were much attenuated at T3 (5 years from T2). Marital disruption in midlife or at an older age can be detrimental to health, particularly psychological health in the short term. Public awareness of the health consequences of spousal loss should be raised. Resources, including professional support, should be allocated to help individuals navigate these difficult life transitions.

‘Take the Money and Run’: Dutch Evidence on Inheritance and Transfer Receiving and Divorce

This paper aims to investigate whether a wealth endowment, such as an inheritance or a gift, can increase the chances of getting divorced, using Dutch panel data for the period from 2002 to 2016. According to the literature, different factors may lead to the breakdown of a marriage; however, the role played by inherited wealth has never been explored so far. Starting from the idea that the receipt of an inheritance might have an impact on various aspects of an individual’s life, estimations of a Cox proportional hazard ratios model are performed and tests are carried out to establish which variables, with particular attention being given to inherited wealth, act as drivers in increasing the chances of withdrawing from a marriage. The findings suggest that when the wealth endowment has been received by the wife, this increases the chances of the couple separating. This signals that receiving an inheritance/gift changes the bargaining power between the couple: for the husband, it does not represent an incentive to divorce, while the results suggest that the wife might perceive a change in the bargaining power, increasing the likelihood of marital disruption.

Intimate partner violence as a predictor of marital disruption in sub-Saharan Africa: A multilevel analysis of demographic and health surveys

IntroductionIntimate partner violence has gained momentum as health, social, and human right issue across the globe. Women within sub-Saharan Africa often do not report any case of violence due to the acceptance of violence which is rooted in their socio-cultural beliefs and practices. With a high prevalence of marital disruption in sub-Saharan Africa, it is important that we understand the role intimate partner violence plays in this phenomenon. Hence, this present study assessed the association between intimate partner violence and marital disruption among women in sub-Saharan Africa. MethodsThis study involved a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Demographic and Health Survey of 25 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Multilevel binary logistic regression analysis was carried out and the results were presented as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) at 95% Confidence Interval (CI). ResultsThe prevalence of physical, emotional, and sexual violence in the 25 countries considered in this study were 29.3%, 28%, and 11.5%, respectively. The highest prevalence of physical violence was in Sierra Leone (50.0%) and the lowest prevalence was in Comoros (5.7%). For emotional violence, the highest prevalence was in Sierra Leone (45.9%) and the lowest prevalence was in Comoros (7.9%). The highest prevalence of sexual violence was in Burundi (25.5%) and the lowest prevalence was in Comoros (1.8%). The average prevalence of marital disruption was 7.7%. This ranged from 1.3% in Burkina Faso to 20.2% in Mozambique. We found that women who had ever experienced physical violence were more likely to experience marital disruptions compared to those who had never experienced physical violence [aOR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.35–1.50]. Women who had ever experienced sexual violence were more likely to experience marital disruption compared to those who had never experienced sexual violence [aOR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.21–1.37]. Finally, women who had ever experienced emotional violence were more likely to experience marital disruption compared to those who had never experienced emotional violence [aOR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.76–1.96]. ConclusionFindings from this study call for proven effective intimate partner violence reduction interventions such as strengthening laws against intimate partner violence in sub-Saharan Africa. Again, marital counseling and health education interventions should be implemented to address the role of intimate partner violence on the wellbeing of women and the stability of couples in sub-Saharan Africa.

Transnational divorce in binational marriages: The case of Portuguese–Brazilian and Portuguese–Cape Verdean couples

AbstractWhile academic research has focused on binational marriages (i.e., marriages between partners of different national origins), transnational divorce is still under‐researched in the field of migration and family studies. Drawing on qualitative data, this paper analyses the testimonies of Brazilian and Cape Verdean migrant women concerning their experiences of marriage and divorce from Portuguese partners. We adopt an intersectional approach to highlight how some central categories—gender, social class and migration status—influence their agency and consequences of marital disruption. Contrary to studies in which migrant women are victimised after divorce, our results reveal that, for these women, marital dissolution is an empowering strategy to end up their unhappy marriages.

The Role of Socio-demographic Variables, Sexual Relationship, Marital Stability, Marital Communication and Marital Conflict Resolution in Marital Satisfaction among Married Individuals in Nifas Silk Lafto Sub-City of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2016

Background : Intact and harmonious marital relationships are required not only for the mental health of the individual but also for children and thus, for the society in the broader sense. But unsatisfying and stressful marital relations lead to increased emotional disturbances and marital disruption. This study aimed to assess the role of socio-demographic, sexual relationship, marital stability, marital communication and marital conflict resolution in marital satisfaction among married individuals. Methods: The target population for this study was all heterosexual married individuals, legally bound by the state of marriage as husband and wife. Quantitative research design and a systematic sampling technique along with a simple random sampling technique were employed to select 326 households. Frequency and percentages, means, standard deviations, Pearson correlation, independent sample T-test, one-way ANOVA and hierarchical multiple linear regressions were all used to compute sample statistic. DOI: 10.7176/JCSD/62-02 Publication date: October 31 st 2020