• 15
  • September
    2010

According to a recently published study in the Journal of Family Issues, women who function as primary wage earners in a marriage are more likely to seek a divorce than women who either function as secondary wage earners or stay at home.

The study, conducted over a period of 25 years, involved 2,500 women married at different points in time.

Specifically, researchers found that marriages were 38 percent more likely to end in divorce when women earned 60 percent or more of the familial income. Curiously enough, this trend was found across a wide economic spectrum and not confined to just higher-income households.

What are some of the reasons behind this rather surprising pattern in divorce rates?

According to sociologist Jay Teachman, a principal architect of the study, one of the main reasons that higher-earning wives are divorcing their lesser-earning husbands may be that many of them come from a generation in which the husband was expected to be the primary wage earner.

Consequently, when the husband fails to live up to these societal expectations, it can create resentment on the part of the wife, a sense of inadequacy on the part of the husband and marital strife between the two.

"When marriages form, there's expectations. So, if you get new information about the relationship, you're likely to think, 'This isn't what I bargained for.' There's some wounded egos, too. The man is going to expect he'll make more money, and the wife is going to expect she's not," said Teachman. 

He also indicated that increased economic freedom on the part of the wife coupled with resentment over having to work longer hours while the husband lives a more leisurely life might also be contributing to this pattern.

Whether you are a stay-at-home spouse or a professional considering divorce, you should strongly consider speaking with an experienced legal professional. 

This post is provided for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice.

Stay tuned for more from our Denver divorce blog ...

Related Resources:
  
• Women's Divorce 'Cur$e' (The New York Post)