Divorce can be a scary thing for married couples to even consider. But US statistics prove that divorce doesn’t just stay in the realm of possibility; nearly 50% of first marriages and over 60% of second marriages fail.

1. A Change of Heart:
Couples Considering
Divorce Could Change
Their Mind Just a Year
Later
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2. Divorce can be a scary thing for married couples to even consider. But US statistics prove
that divorce doesn’t just stay in the realm of possibility; nearly 50% of first marriages
and over 60% of second marriages fail.
In a culture where divorce can be the norm rather than the exception, it can be a
challenge to counteract thoughts about divorce when problems exist in a marriage. In a
study conducted by the University of Alberta and Brigham Young University, the
researchers discovered that couples who consider divorce end up having a change of
heart after a year.
Couples Tend to Vacillate between Divorcing and Staying Together
The researchers separated the participants into three groups: soft, serious, and conflicted
thinkers. The soft thinkers only considered divorce infrequently and felt encouraged that
they could eventually work things out with their spouse. The serious thinkers often
experienced marital discord more frequently and felt less optimistic. Meanwhile, the
conflicted thinkers experienced the most intense problems (adultery, abuse, and
addiction). They were, surprisingly, the most hopeful of the bunch.

3. After a year, the researchers noticed that the 50% of the participants had bounced
between the different categories. They assert that it is the result of spouses who
vacillate between staying together and filing for divorce.
Can Thoughts of Divorce Help Improve Relationships?
When the researchers conducted one-on-one interviews with the participants, a large
fraction of them was surprised that they had considered divorce the year before.
Although thoughts of divorce are more common than people realize, the thoughts are
dynamic. Contemplating divorce can, for instance, encourage couples to take a step back
and reevaluate their marriage. On that note, spouses can take their thoughts as an
invitation to figure out what they can do to improve their relationship.
Marriage has its ups and downs. When things get rough, it’s reasonable to try and seek
an easy way out. Often, however, couples simply need to take the time out to view their
marriage from a different standpoint. That way, they might realize that they can work
out the kinks in their relationship.

4. Sources:
https://www.ualberta.ca/news-and-events/newsarticles/2017/august/half-of-those-
considering-divorce-change-their-feelings-within-a-year
http://www.shaynelaw.com/
http://globalnews.ca/news/3641969/50-per-cent-of-couples-thinking-of-divorce-
reconsider-a-year-later/
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/divorce-study-university-of-alberta-
1.4230825