Study Shows Link Between Division of Household Chores and Divorce

 Posted on December 17, 2012 in Divorce

A recent story from WTVM explored the results of a Norwegian study that drew parallels between the division of household chores between spouses and divorce rates. One of the major findings of the Norwegian Social Research Institute's "Equality at Home" study was that the greatest number of divorces occurred in households where spouses had equally divided household chores. Researchers attributed these findings to the fact that while people might strive for household equality in their marriages, equality at home did not necessarily equate to marital contentment. Rather, this equality seemed to have precisely the opposite effect on such marriages, a conclusion that directly contradicts modern thinking and many scholarly opinions today.

According to the study, the opposite also appeared to hold true. That is, when spouses adhered to more traditional gender roles in terms of division of household chores, the risk of divorce was lower over a period of four years. This conclusion seems to suggest that a return to the gender stereotypes of the traditional 1950s marriage would be the best way to avoid a divorce.

The Norwegian researchers hypothesize that divorce rates have more to do with a couple's differences in values and attitudes than their chosen division of household chores. For instance, couples with more traditional values may view marriage as a traditional institution and hold it in higher esteem. On the other hand, couples with less traditional values, and who are more likely to embrace non-traditional gender roles, may be more likely to divorce if they find themselves unhappy or unfulfilled within the constraints of marriage.

The reality is that no matter how household chores are divided in your marriage, you still may be considering or end up going through a divorce. There are always exceptions to statistics, and what is true for most marriages may not necessarily be true for your marriage. If you find yourself in a situation where you may be facing divorce, it is most practical, and in most cases, essential, to enlist the services of an experienced and knowledge Illinois divorce attorney to guide you through the stressful and often-complex divorce process.