With the claim that the divorce record for marriages in the United States is over 50 percent, that means one in two marriages will end in divorce. However, many statistical analysts claim the divorce record is actually lower than 50 percent. They also say that statistics compiled through divorce research can predict what types of people and marriages will end in divorce.
According to divorce information released by the National Center for Health Statistics in 2003, there were 7.5 marriages per every 1,000 people and 3.8 divorces. This leads many people to conclude that the divorce record is 50 percent or higher as over half of those 7.5 marriages are ending in divorce. However, this statistic is misleading, because those marrying are not the same ones getting divorce. Instead, analysts prefer to calculate how many people who have ever married actually divorced. Based on this, the divorce record in the United State has never exceeded 41 percent. Most estimate that the divorce record will never reach 50 percent or higher, as the divorce record has actually started to recede.
Divorce research can also show who is most likely to divorce. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the divorce record is higher for individuals not attending and graduating from college. Even for those who have attended some college but didn't graduate the rate of divorce is 13 percent less than those who dropped out of high school. The age at which you marry is also a factor. Nearly half of the people who married under the age of 20 ended up divorced, while the rate of divorce for people who marry after the age of 20 is only 24 percent.
Statistics show that things in your past can also contribute to a higher than average divorce rate for someone. Those individuals whose parents are still married are 14 percent less likely to divorce than those who come from broken homes. In addition, individuals who had one or both parents with an alcohol or drug addiction during their childhood are more likely to view marriage negatively than those who did not.
Surveys conducted with divorcees can even provide divorce information and insight into why marriages fail. The top five reasons marriages fail are poor communication, financial problems, lack of commitment to the marriage, a dramatic change in priorities and infidelity. Other reasons that are not as prominent but do lead to a percentage of divorces include failed expectations, unmet needs, addictions, substance abuse, and physical, sexual or emotional abuse.
Finally statistics can predict the probability that you and your spouse will make it to your prominent wedding anniversaries. Eighty-two percent of marriages make it to their fifth wedding anniversary, but only 52 percent make it to their 15th. That number drops even lower, as only 33 percent of marriages survive to celebrate one-quarter of a century together on their 25th wedding anniversary.
As you can see, the statistics provides a basis to give us insight into divorce. Knowing who is at risk for divorce can result in getting them the proper guidance and counseling before or during marriage to try and prevent divorce.