A Review of Amato’s Research on Divorce
In this paper, Amato discussed the topic of divorce. Specifically, the rates of divorce and separation in marriages and how these numbers differ depending on race, social class, level of education, etc. It was found that divorce rates increased by 136% from 1960 to 1980, however, by 2006, the rate of divorce gradually declined by 31%. This is due to an increase in age and degree of education prior to marriage. Predictors of divorce were discussed, such as the rate of positive affect: how the amount of “humor, affection, [and] interest” present in a relationship could be of more importance than the level of conflict (Amato, 2010, p. 653). Another topic of discussion was how children are affected by divorce. Children of divorce tend to have higher rates of anxiety, obtain lower levels of education, and report a greater rate of issues in their own marriages, to name a few.
A potential limitation of this paper is that it only discussed the negative aspects of divorce. This limits to the reader to only one perspective and fails to explore the potential benefits of divorce. For example, if the marriage was creating a toxic environment for the family members, a divorce could create two happy homes for the children and a more supportive atmosphere.
I found it interesting to read a paper dedicated to the topic of divorce. To me, divorce seems so common place that I think I have grown immune to the word and its potential implications. As a child, I was terrified of it. It seemed to be the worst possible solution to a difficult marriage. As I grew older though and started embarking on my own romantic relationships, the option of divorce grew to be a comfort. If I marry and am unhappy, no big deal. I’ll just sign a few papers, divvy up some expenses and get back to my life. I am very aware of the hardships that come along with divorce and it obviously isn’t my goal in any relationship. However, when reading this paper, I was surprised at the feeling of dread it arose in me, the sense of inevitable failure that dooms half of our marriages. My parents have had a lot of ups and downs as they have navigated their marriage. They once decided to separate (this lasted the span of one whole day before they reconciled), however, this still sticks in my mind as one of my worst days. So I suppose I am torn between the comfort of knowing the words “I do” don’t have to be equated with “till death do us part,” and the fear of realizing this too late, when there are children involved and fewer options available to me. I guess I fear a life-long commitment as much as I fear not having one.
One of the topics highlighted above was how the younger the couple is, the more likely they are to divorce. This connects to the class topic of predictors of dissolution, specifically mesosociological causes. One of which states that the younger someone is when they get married, the less emotional maturity they possess to navigate marriage. They grow to be disappointed and disillusioned with the realities of marriage. Another is parental divorce, which Amato stated could lead the children to have less stable marriages of their own. Parental divorce is also a mesosociological cause, stating that the child “learns to divorce” by example of their parents.
Work Cited
Amato, P. (2010). Research on Divorce: Continuing Trends and New Developments. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72(3), 650-666. Retrieved from www.jstor.org/stable/40732501