A common aspiration for most people in the world is to find a partner with whom to share a rewarding future; for caring companionship, perhaps to build a family, to work toward a state of financial security, and to have someone to share old age with.  Different cultures have different customs and expectations when it comes to relationship unions, but most cultures have some form of formalized union such as marriage or common-law relationships.  While most people who decide to marry have visions of a relationship that will last until one partner passes on, the reality is more bleak.

In Portugal, it is estimated that 92 percent of all marriages will end in divorce.  In Spain, the number is 86 percent.  In Russia, 74 percent.  In the United States, Canada, the U.K., and Australia, the numbers are 45, 48, 41, and 43 percent respectively.   In other countries, the rate is much lower.  For example, it is expected that only one percent of marriages in India will end in divorce – seven percent in Vietnam.

These numbers do not include common-law relationships, and those numbers are not reliably available in most countries; in the U.S., 53 percent of adults aged 18 or above are married, and seven percent are in a common law relationship.  In Canada, approximately 25 percent of cohabiting relationships are of the common-law type.

There are a huge number of variables that account for the variation in divorce rates around the world; did a couple choose each other, or was the decision made for them by others?  Were cultural expectations met or ignored?  Did the couple have a relationship with each other before marriage?  Were their families supportive?  Was theirs a “shotgun marriage”?  Was substance abuse or domestic violence present in the relationship?  There are so many variables that come into play that can result in divorce – at the same time, there are a lot of things you can do to improve the odds of a relationship thriving.

Here at Prosocial Science we know that we do not have all of the answers, but we will do our best to create resources that might help you succeed in your efforts to maintain a healthy and happy relationship for you, your partner, and your family.  We also host a Discussion Forum in which we hope you will ask or answer questions and share your experiences.  We all need to search for answers sometimes, so please do help others benefit from your wisdom and your experiences.  If there are topics you would like to see covered, or if you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know in the Forum.