New Divorce Survey
Kids Follow Pattern of Multiple Divorced Parents
Although it is no surprise that kids are more likely to divorce and have failed marriages if they lived with parents who had multiple failed marriages, that belief is now being supported in a recent study and survey done by UCLA sociologist Nicholas Wolfinger. His findings from a national survey of 8,590 adults were recently presented in Toronto at the American Sociological Association.
His report listed the following statistics:
Among adults whose parents had two or more failed marriages, 67% divorced, 26% two or more times.
Among adults whose parents divorced and remarried only once, 58% divorced, 19% at least twice.
Among adults raised in intact homes, 41% divorced, 9% two or more times.
Wolfinger made the remark that these adults "may have learned the best way to deal with problems in a relationship is to cut and run."
There are some experts who disagree with Wolfinger's remarks. James Bray of Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, who has been studying stepfamilies for years, is one who argues that although multiple family transitions can stress kids, positive stepfamily relationships can heal some of that trauma. He says, "My research and other studies show a lot of people flourish and do better because they've had good stepparents."
Next week we will look at one state's attempt to stem the divorce tide and to lower these statistics - Louisiana. Let us know what you think about the new law concerning "covenant marriage". Send us a note so we can post your thoughts too!.
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