Couples going down the aisle in Texas are less likely to part ways these days since the overall divorce rate is on the decline. Still, there are times when marriages come to a premature end. In order to develop a better understanding of the common reasons couples split, researchers interviewed divorced individuals who initially participated in prevention and relationship enhancement program (PREP) courses to learn why their marriages failed.
Even though all respondents had participated in PREP courses, some of them cited little or no premarital education as one of the reasons why they decided to start the divorce process. Religious differences and a lack of family support were among some of the other lower-ranking divorce reasons given. Health problems also played a role in some divorces since illness often requires one partner to step up and assume a larger role in a marriage. Nearly a quarter of survey participants cited emotional and/or physical abuse as the major reason for their splits.
Roughly 12 percent of respondents said that substance abuse by their partner was “the final straw” that led to the demise of their marriage – although one couple out of 50 percent of former couples surveyed cited substance abuse as a marital issue. Thirty-six percent of participants said financial problems played a big role in their marital woes, while just over 45 percent said they feel getting married too young was an issue. Even though conflict and arguing coupled with a lack of communication ranked high as reasons for divorce, the top two issues couples reported involved infidelity and a lack of commitment.
No matter what leads to divorce in Texas, there are a variety of legal issues that must be addressed. In many cases, the estranged couple’s respective family law attorneys can assist in the negotiation of a settlement agreement that will remove the need for a court battle.
