Most people understand that having a strong network of supportive friends and family is important in living a happy life. However, can having strong relationships also lead to divorce? According to one study by a sociologist at Pennsylvania State University, having more emotional support outside of a marriage is associated with higher divorce rates.
Types of support
In the study, the sociologist asked couples about three types of support that they may have had:
- Emotional support – Whether or not couples had someone they could ask for advice from when they were upset
- Emergency assistance – If couples had someone outside the marriage they could call in an emergency
- Financial assistance – If couples had someone they were comfortable asking to borrow money from
According to the study, numbers showed that those who said they did have emotional support outside the marriage had higher rates of divorce.
The importance of emotional support
The primary researcher came to two different conclusions – the first being that due to reliance on outside sources of emotional support, there was not enough attention within the marriage, leading to divorce. Her alternative conclusion, however, was that individuals with more emotional support may feel more comfortable with divorcing as they know they have emotional support without their spouse.
Final thoughts
If you feel that you may want a divorce from your spouse, having friends and family to fall back on can help you get through the process and get back on your feet afterward. Having a reliable divorce attorney can help with the process itself and aid in attaining the outcome that is best for you.
