How Work Affects Divorce
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Retrospective observational cohort analysis graded by design analogy
OpenAlex W2148619671 · doi:10.1177/0192513x04270228
What was done
Analyzed retrospective survey data from the Netherlands to examine whether financial strain and marital interaction time mediate the relationship between spouses' working hours during the first years of marriage and subsequent divorce risk.
What was found
Divorce was more likely when the husband worked fewer hours on average and the wife worked more hours during early marriage. Higher financial strain and less time spent together were each associated with increased divorce risk. Approximately 15% of the higher divorce risk linked to husbands working fewer hours was explained by resulting financial strain. Decreased marital interaction time did not account for the elevated divorce risk observed when wives worked more hours. Exact sample size, effect sizes, and confidence intervals were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
This study provides empirical evidence on the specific pathways linking spousal labor supply to marital stability, showing that financial pressure partially mediates the risk associated with male underemployment while time pressure does not explain the risk associated with female employment hours.
Limits
Sample size and numerical effect estimates are not reported in the abstract. The retrospective design introduces potential recall bias, and findings from the Netherlands may not generalize to other economic or cultural settings.
Cited by
- supports Women are more likely than men to leave a romantic partner who becomes unemployed or fails to earn a living.