New Study Shows Brides with Pre-Wedding Jitters More Likely to Divorce

 Posted on October 09, 2012 in Divorce

In a new study published in the American Psychological Association's "Journal of Family Psychology," researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), found that women who reported pre-wedding jitters were 2.5 times more likely to get divorced than those who did not experience cold feet before walking down the aisle. An article in the Christian Science Monitor reports that according to this UCLA study, while pre-wedding jitters are relatively common, they do have some indication as to the future success of the parties' marriage.

Furthermore, while more men (47%) than women tend to feel doubtful about an upcoming wedding, it was the women's pre-wedding jitters that had more bearing on the outcome of the marriage. Whereas 19% of women who reported pre-wedding jitters were divorced four years later, only 14% of men who felt nervous prior to the wedding ended up divorced in that same timeframe.

Contrary to popular belief, this study shows that pre-wedding jitters were a more likely indicator of divorce than cohabitation prior to marriage, satisfaction with the relationship, whether a person's parents were divorced, and difficulties during the engagement period.

Despite the findings of this study, however, even the most confident couples could not totally escape divorce. Of the 36% of couples in the study who reported no pre-wedding jitters at all, 6% still ended up in divorce court.

No matter how you felt prior to your marriage, if you are now contemplating a divorce or are actively going through a divorce, you will need the assistance of a seasoned Oak Brook, Illinois divorce lawyer to guide you through the often-complex legal proceedings that accompany even what appears to be the most straightforward divorce. By enlisting the help of a divorce attorney, you can get the advice you need to make the best decisions about important matters such as child custody and property division.