Marriage and then getting divorced are two common experiences in Denton County and throughout the rest of the world. According to the American Psychological Association, more than 90 percent of people in western cultures get married by age 50. But, in the U.S., approximately forty to fifty percent of married couples eventually get divorced.

A Trend Among Friends

Not only is divorce common among married couples, but it also becomes more prevalent among couples that have divorced friends. According to the Pew Research Center, a new study suggests that if an individual has a friend or relative that gets divorced, their chances of eventually divorcing increase.

The study, which was conducted by a research team at Brown University, found that those studied were 75 percent more likely to get divorced if they had a friend who got divorced. Those with friends who knew someone that got divorced were also more likely to get divorced, increasing their chances by 33 percent.

Sociologists name this phenomenon “social contagion.” This phenomenon occurs due to the spread of information among friends, families and other social networks a person may be a part of. This study found evidence that was similar to previous studies, such as the 2006 study that traced the increase in likelihood of a sibling to have a child after another one of their siblings that gave birth and the study that traced the spread of obesity in elementary schools.

Little-Known Benefits of Divorce

Although this increase in divorce due to association may be viewed as a negative, many forget the positive impacts of divorce. For example, divorce:

• Gives a person the opportunity to be happier, especially if they were involved in an unhappy relationship.
• Helps a person avoid the health consequences of staying in an unhappy marriage.
• Allows a person the ability to avoid the financial frustrations that many married couples deal with.
• Gives any children from the marriage the opportunity to be better off in terms of developing a strong relationship with their parents.
• Allows individuals to realize what works in a marriage and what doesn’t, making way for a happier second marriage.
• Makes for an easier retirement.

Although finalizing divorce papers with your ex-spouse and figuring out which parent each child will go to and when can be trying, divorce can give you the opportunity to reinvent yourself and start a new life as a single person. To ensure that your divorce goes smoothly and you are able to take advantage of these post-divorce benefits, contact an attorney that can work with you throughout the entire divorce process.