Most couples in Pennsylvania go through hard times at some point in their marriage, and many are able to work through the issues and remain happily entwined. However, there are certain signs that society and marital experts identify as being strong indicators of divorce.
CNN outlines some general signs that indicate a marriage may not be a lasting thing. For example, education seems to play a role. There is a higher incidence of divorce for those who only have a high school diploma as opposed to a college degree. Couples who marry at younger ages also have a greater chance of divorce.
A non-surprising factor in divorce is unfaithfulness. People who marry others who are emotionally unstable may also be at a higher risk for divorce.
While there are many personality traits and acts that may contribute to divorce, Psych Central discusses four main divorce predictors that marriage therapists use to determine when a marriage is failing. The most serious one is contempt, and there are numerous ways a spouse may express this towards the other. These include spiteful sarcasm, mocking, name-calling, sneering and rolling the eyes.
Criticism is another predictor of divorce. This often involves attacking the other’s character to make him or her wrong. This, in turn, often leads to defensiveness on the part of the other spouse. Defensiveness is also a sign a marriage may be coming to an end. Some examples of this include whining, making excuses, cross-complaining and acting like the victim.
Another common predictor is stonewalling. This may also be walking away or emotionally shutting down to avoid conflict. While it may be a way the spouse calms oneself, to the other spouse it feels like smugness, disapproval or a disconnect.