Seattle Legal Blog: Divorce, Child Custody, Domestic Violence & Mediation

Study: Divorce Can Be Contagious?

Just a week after Al and Tipper Gore announced their divorce, their 38-year-old daughter also announced that she was ending her marriage. But when friends or relatives file for divorce around the same time, it is coincidence or something more?

A new study suggests that there can be a connection between divorces. After analyzing 5,000 couples around the country, researchers have found that when those around you divorce, your chances of divorce can increase. In fact, the study found that those who have a friend who is going through a divorce are 147 percent more likely to divorce as well. Those who have a sibling who is divorced is 22 percent more likely to divorce, while those who have a coworker who is divorcing are 55 percent more likely to choose to end their marriage.

What is the cause? Researchers believe it is a phenomenon of social networks in which behavior can spread through families and other groups.