Counseling and Mediation as Alternatives to Divorce
This paper examines the high rate of divorce in the United States and argues that married couples should pursue professional counseling or mediation before deciding to divorce. Drawing on CDC data regarding marriage, divorce, and cohabitation statistics, as well as peer-reviewed scholarship by Janine M. Bernard and Elana Katz, the paper explores how "marriage myths" and "divorce myths" lead couples toward separation and how professional intervention can counteract these harmful assumptions. The paper also distinguishes between counseling and mediation as viable alternatives to divorce, emphasizing the particular importance of professional help when children are involved.
- Introduction: Marriage and Divorce in the United States: CDC statistics frame the divorce problem and thesis
- Marriage and Divorce Myths: Bernard's eight marriage and divorce myths examined
- The Role of Counseling Before and During Marriage: Professional counseling as antidote to harmful myths
- Mediation as an Alternative to Divorce: Katz on mediation process, roles, and benefits
- Conclusion: Counseling or mediation preferable to divorce myths
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What makes this paper effective
- Opens with concrete CDC statistics that establish the scope and urgency of the divorce problem before introducing the thesis, grounding the argument in quantitative evidence.
- Engages directly with peer-reviewed sources (Bernard and Katz) rather than relying on anecdote, lending academic credibility to a topic that is often treated informally.
- Distinguishes clearly between two professional alternatives — counseling and mediation — explaining how each works and when each may be preferable.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates effective use of source synthesis: it does not simply summarize Bernard's and Katz's arguments in isolation but connects them to a single overarching claim — that professional intervention can disrupt the myths that drive couples toward divorce. The structured enumeration of the "marriage myth" and "divorce myth" components illustrates how to present a source's framework concisely and then apply it analytically.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with an introductory section that presents CDC data and states the thesis. A literature review section covers two main sources: Bernard (1981), used to discuss marriage and divorce myths, and Katz (2006), used to introduce mediation. The conclusion synthesizes the argument, reiterating that counseling or mediation is preferable to acting on divorce myths — especially when children are present. The Works Cited section follows MLA-adjacent formatting consistent with the in-text citation style used throughout.
Introduction: Marriage and Divorce in the United States
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2009 in the United States there were approximately 1,077,000 marriages — that is, 6.8 people per 1,000 citizens got married. On the other hand, 3.4 persons per 1,000 were divorced. That figure includes data from the U.S. Census, and 44 of the 50 states were included in the data. Using data from an earlier Census, the CDC reports that in 2002, the "probability of a first marriage ending in separation or divorce" within five years after the couple was married is 20% (CDC). The probability of a "premarital cohabitation" — that is, people living together but not joining in matrimony — ending in separation within five years is 49%. After ten years, the probability "of a first marriage ending is 33%, compared with 62% for cohabitations" (CDC).
These statistics, especially the high percentage of people who get divorced, are troubling. The divorce rate could be reduced with good planning and counseling. This paper presents the thesis that married couples should seek counseling before they decide on — or file for — divorce.
Works Cited
Bernard, Janine M. (1981). The Divorce Myth. Personnel and Guidance Journal, 60(2), 67–72.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2002). New Report Sheds Light on Trends and Patterns in Marriage, Divorce, and Cohabitation. Retrieved November 22, 2011, from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/02news/div_mar_cohab.htm.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010). Marriage and Divorce. Retrieved November 22, 2011, from http://www.cdc.gov/fastats/divorce.htm.
Katz, Elana. (2006). A Family Therapy Perspective on Mediation. Family Process, 46(1), 93–107.
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