Recession linked to marital hardships, says UVA study

Many American families are dealing with the worst economic circumstances in their lifetimes. Our experience as family law attorneys has taught us that tough financial times can create stress in a marriage, and financial stress can both magnify existing problems and create new problems in a marriage. A recent scientific study seems to confirm this phenomenon.

According to the study recently conducted by the University of Virginia, the ongoing recession in the Unites States has created significant strains on marriages, especially the marriages of individuals and couples who do not have college degrees. The Survey of Marital Generosity, a component of the UVA Marriage Project, indicated that 29 percent of couples experienced stress on their marriages resulting from financial difficulties.

In addition, approximately 33 percent of the couples that responded to the survey said that the economic downturn caused them to resolve to save their marriages. About 52 percent of this group said their marriage was “very happy,” while 25 percent did not think that the recession was a reason for the strengthening marriages.

Nearly 1,200 Americans between the ages of 18 and 45 were surveyed as part of the UVA Marriage Project. Couples in which neither partner had a college degree were among the most likely to experience economic hardships. Over a third of the participants claimed that they frequently worried about paying their next set of bills, while 12 percent said that they had either had their homes foreclosed or experienced significant struggles in paying their mortgage bills.

Source: The Washington Post, “Study shows recession has weighed heavily on American marriages,” Annys Shin, 2/7/2011