Does Divorce Make People Happy? Findings from a Study of Unhappy Marriages

Author: Linda J. Waite, Don Browning, William J. Doherty, Maggie Gallagher, Ye Luo, Scott M. Stanley Publisher: Institute for American Values Publication: Document Date:                  2002 Category: Marriage > Marital Satisfaction Related Categories: Divorce and Remarriage > Divorce Divorce and Remarriage > Effects of Divorce Divorce and Remarriage > Parental Divorce Family Relations > Conflict Family Relations > Parental Conflict Family Structure > Impact of Family Structure on Adults Family Structure > Marital Status Marriage > Marital Conflict Marriage > Marital Duration Marriage > Marriage   This study investigates the assumption that divorced people are happier than those who remain in unhappy marriages.  It finds that being divorced rather than unhappily married does not actually increase people's happiness, self-esteem or sense of personal control. Click to read this article... (PDF) Send us feedback on this article Bookmark this link