Back to English
Back to Cause and Effect
What are the most common causes of divorce?
American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
No statistics on this are collected -- the grounds listed on the vital statistics forms that are filed with each divorce case in most states rarely list the actual cause of the divorce. The causes listed below come from a survey of experienced divorce lawyers who have been elected by their peers to the Academy. As a divorce lawyer, I consider it to be about the most accurate listing of causes of divorce that is available.
Of course in each case, the two spouses and the lawyers might each have a different opinion of the real cause of the divorce. Many of the causes listed below often would not, by themselves, lead to divorce, or even happen in the first place, or would get remedied by the couple, were it not for "A lack of commitment to the marriage"
Why Marriages Fail
Not all marriages fail for the same reason. Nor is there usually one reason for the breakdown of a particular marriage. Nevertheless, we hear some reasons more often than others.
They are:
- Poor communication
- Financial problems
- A lack of commitment to the marriage
- A dramatic change in priorities
- Infidelity
There are other causes we see a lot, but not quite as often as those listed above. They are:
- Failed expectations or unmet needs
- Addictions and substance abuse
- Physical, sexual or emotional abuse
- Lack of conflict resolution skills
From: http://www.divorcereform.org/cau.html
Back to English
Back to Cause and Effect