Study finds link between cohabitation and divorce
Sarah Campbell
Issue date: 3/18/10 Section: Opinion
The Washington Post last year reported the results of a five-year study conducted by Scott Stanley, a University of Denver psychologist, and his colleagues.
A total of 1,050 married people were surveyed and the study found that almost 19 percent of those who lived together before getting engaged had suggested divorce at one time or another, compared with 10 percent for those who waited until marriage to live together.
Basically, those who cohabitate are less likely to have long-lasting marriages than those couples who wait to live together until after marriage.
First, every couple is different. Some couples rush into living together just to save on rent for an apartment. Some just fall into it as the result of complicated situations.
Second, this study does not take into consideration the possibility that the reason some couples don't live together before marriage is due to strong religious beliefs. Those beliefs may enforce a strong disdain for divorce in those people because some strict religions do not approve of divorce.
Personally, I believe planning is what really makes the difference and the statistics back this up.
The Washington Post article said Stanley's studies had also shown that there was no remarkable difference in couples that had moved in together when they were engaged as opposed to moving in together after getting hitched.
If a couple is engaged, they obviously intend to spend their lives together and would be more committed to each other. Higher levels of commitment make getting divorced an increasingly unlikely event to occur.
Another problem cited in the article was that couples who move in together might include one individual who has the idea of staying together for marriage while the other may take moving in together less seriously.
Living together before marriage does not lead to divorce. People who don't value the sanctity of marriage and the significance of living together lead to divorce.
Moving in to an apartment, combining finances and sharing day and night with a boyfriend/girlfriend should be a step that is carefully considered and taken with extreme caution. An intelligent individual shouldn't just fall into something like that or think that it's no big deal.
Also, you never really know a person until you live with them. Many, including myself, have learned that lesson the painful way, through personal experience. In fact, you should know as much as you can about someone you intend to spend your life with. Cohabiting gives you a chance to see all the little annoying flaws about your girlfriend/boyfriend, and, if you can't accept them, your love won't last through the many trials of marriage.
A total of 1,050 married people were surveyed and the study found that almost 19 percent of those who lived together before getting engaged had suggested divorce at one time or another, compared with 10 percent for those who waited until marriage to live together.
Basically, those who cohabitate are less likely to have long-lasting marriages than those couples who wait to live together until after marriage.
First, every couple is different. Some couples rush into living together just to save on rent for an apartment. Some just fall into it as the result of complicated situations.
Second, this study does not take into consideration the possibility that the reason some couples don't live together before marriage is due to strong religious beliefs. Those beliefs may enforce a strong disdain for divorce in those people because some strict religions do not approve of divorce.
Personally, I believe planning is what really makes the difference and the statistics back this up.
The Washington Post article said Stanley's studies had also shown that there was no remarkable difference in couples that had moved in together when they were engaged as opposed to moving in together after getting hitched.
If a couple is engaged, they obviously intend to spend their lives together and would be more committed to each other. Higher levels of commitment make getting divorced an increasingly unlikely event to occur.
Another problem cited in the article was that couples who move in together might include one individual who has the idea of staying together for marriage while the other may take moving in together less seriously.
Living together before marriage does not lead to divorce. People who don't value the sanctity of marriage and the significance of living together lead to divorce.
Moving in to an apartment, combining finances and sharing day and night with a boyfriend/girlfriend should be a step that is carefully considered and taken with extreme caution. An intelligent individual shouldn't just fall into something like that or think that it's no big deal.
Also, you never really know a person until you live with them. Many, including myself, have learned that lesson the painful way, through personal experience. In fact, you should know as much as you can about someone you intend to spend your life with. Cohabiting gives you a chance to see all the little annoying flaws about your girlfriend/boyfriend, and, if you can't accept them, your love won't last through the many trials of marriage.
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