More of them end up in mental health clinics and hospital settings. There is earlier sexual activity, more children born out of wedlock, less marriage, and more divorce. Numerous studies show that adult children of divorce have more psychological problems than those raised in intact marriages." (Kupelian, 2005) it is reported in the work entitled: "Reflections on Distressed Couples Contemplating Divorce One Study of the Structured Separation Process" that the high divorce rate has caused family therapists to search for ways for families to make necessary transitions during divorce in what is termed a structural marriage separation. While this cannot assure happiness for couples or their children this method is clearly preferable to the chaos that often ensues when a couple separates. (Mize, Nelson, Sutter, and Mize, 2005) Summary & Analysis

The factual evidence provided in this case which is under analysis was provided in a brief sketch only which leaves many variables both known and unknown. Because this study made the assumption that no marital domestic violence and abuse existed and neither did pre-marital affairs exist with either spouse and finally made the additional assumption that there are no existing problems with drug or alcohol abuse then the facts are indeed in brief form only. However, the fact that the couple has attempted counseling in order to resolve the problems in the marriage that the husband and wife desire that the marriage be somehow 'fixed' or resolved in a happy and positive manner. Added to this fact is the fact of the couple having a four-year-old daughter and who is the only truly innocent party in this matter and who is the individual who will be most negatively affected should a divorce result. With these considerations in mind and the facts as laid out in the foregoing review of literature in this subject area there appears to be absolutely nothing whatsoever to gain from a divorce and everything to gain should the couple somehow, and at some point find a level of happiness within the marriage. While often one spouse or the other is young,...

These are not the only outcomes that are less than optimal for the couple and their children as research findings are readily available in many and sundry publications that show that single-parent homes, specifically single-mother homes are in the lowest of income brackets. The entire family structure is broken when a divorce ensues leaving strands and bits of families unprotected from societal elements and elements relating to physical conditions that are deficit in nature. The question this study posed was 'to' divorce or 'not to' divorce? Clearly, hope would certainly be a well-founded option as many of the marriages that were not happy do evolve into marriages that are full of happiness for the couple. Moreover, the individuals who did not divorce report more happiness in life during years following the study of unhappy marriages than those who divorced. Clearly, for a marriage to be sustaining there must be a commitment that overrides temporal conditions relating to ones' level of happiness.
Bibliography

Kupelian, D. (2005) How America Can End Its Divorce Epidemic. World Net Daily 7 April 2005. http://www.stolenvows.com/epidemic.htm

Waite, L.J.; Browning, D.; Doherty, W.J.; Gallagher, M.; Luo, Ye; and Stanley, S.(2002) Does Divorce Make People Happy? Findings from a Study of Unhappy Marriages. Institute for American Values. 2002, New York, NY http://www.americanvalues.org/UnhappyMarriages.pd

Mize, L.K.; Nelson, K.; Sutter, E.; and Mize, M.J. (2005) Reflections on Distressed Couples Contemplating Divorce One Study of the Structured Separation Process.

Wallerstein, Judith S.; and Lewis, Julia M. (2004) the Unexpected Legacy of Divorce: Report of a 25-Year Study. Psychoanalytic Psychology 21:353-370. 2004.

To Divorce or Not?