Premarital Cohabitation and the Risk of Divorce - Essay Example

Premarital cohabitation and the risk of Divorce Introduction Today it is the order of the day to find people involved and living together in sexual unions without actually getting married. Research has it that over 60% of marriages today derive their basis form prior cohabitation. However, less than a half of such unions end up in marriages of if they end up in marriages; the marriages themselves are never satisfied. According to statistics, over 46% of marriages derived from cohabitation today results in divorce cases and the worsening effects is even higher when the couple involved have cohabited severally in the past. The impacts of cohabitation have no positive effects on the male and females involved or even the children. Studies indicate that cohabiting parents spend most of their moneys on drugs and alcohol irrespective of whether they have children or not (Bradley & Corwyn, 2004). The aspects of living in cohabitation unions whether there is a definite plan to get eventually married does not indicate a better path for marriages as compared to forthright marriages. Researches on marriage qualities between cohabitation and actual marriages show poor conditions for cohabitation unions in all the aspects of the wedding. An analysis of children health between those born from cohabiting and those taken from married couples indicate quite ill health from those children born from cohabiting couple (Osborne & McLanahan, 2007). Furthermore, the relationships between the males and females involved in cohabitation going by research are not anything to smile about. Such unions are so unstable with an exhibition of over five times changes of breaking apart before any formal union (Stanley, Rhoades & Markman, 2006). However, cohabitation has in the past resulted in few successful marriages with research showing a significant number of couples who could not have gotten married doing so after spending time together cohabiting. Nevertheless, such cases are circumstantial. It is sure enough to say that cohabitation more that anything else puts children at a greater risk. From statistics and research, we notice that over forty percent of todays cohabiting couples involve children. Of these, the same statistics indicate that one and a half of the couple does not end up together (Stanley, Rhoades & Markman, 2006). The rate of divorce involving cohabitation compared to only one quarter involving actual marriage is worrying. This drives me to the analysis question of whether cohabitation has influenced the increase in the divorce rates witnessed today or not. Cohabitation and rate of divorce The rate of those living together before marriage over the last over fifty years has risen by over 900%. Today, over 70% of males and females have lived together in sexual relationships before the actual marriage. Furthermore, averagely 66% of the marriages today take place after such individuals have lived together for more than 31 months (Osborne & McLanahan, 2007). The statistics from research are troubling given the rate of divorce witnessed between those who lived together before marriage and the same compared to those who simply dated and then married without prior living together. From research, there is a 33% chance that couples who live together before the actual wedding will divorce over a couple who lived after a church wedding. Confidently, we can make a conclusion that cohabiting exposes todays marriages to risks of collapse mostly resulting from the stigma of living together before marriage (Manning & Lamb, 2003). However, the most current research indicates otherwise for cohabitation before marriage. It shows that the rates of divorce in the mid 90s have reduced significantly between couples who lived together before getting married. It is mostly healthy for women who get children before marriage; those women rose with single parents, those raised by stepparents or those who have had multiple sexual partners before marriage. It is advisable for such to live with their prospective husbands for some time before getting married as it has proved to avert chances of divorce in their future married lives. It is, therefore, safe to conclude that researches propagating that cohabiting are an enormous risk to marriages is biased. They base their findings on age at marriage rather that when such a couple start living together. They do not take note of the fact that cohabitees do so at an earlier age than those directly married (Stanley, Rhoades & Markman, 2006). My study indicates that considered from the perspective of age; the rate of divorce is not anything different between those married directly and those emanating from cohabiting before marriage (Manning & Lamb, 2003). Making it conclusive that cohabitation is not the single most contributive factor to the rate of divorce in todays marriages. Among the many factors, that I have come to find out as contributing to higher divorce rates is the involvement in a marriage situation without the maturity to choose a compatible partner to aid lasting marriage unions (Osborne & McLanahan, 2007). Therefore, entering a marriage or cohabiting at a younger age is what has caused the higher rates of divorce witnessed today. Marriage is a decision that must take into consideration several factors. Further aspects Marriage is a holy union that must be respected as it results in the development of a new generation of humanity. Marriage may lead into a healthy family or not. Depending on the marriage union, that one involves themselves in, the children can be raised in a proper manner of poorly. The health of such children can be a good one or not. This derives meaning from previous research, which has it that most cohabiting couples spend much on alcohol and tobacco. Furthermore, most marriages founded on cohabiting do not generally take a good and healthy path given the level of immaturity involved. Lack of a well established marriage results into divorce, which exposes the children to worse off life experiences of having to be raised without the support of both parents (Osborne & McLanahan, 2007). Such scenarios have contributed negatively on the health and well-being of such kids in terms of growth and future relations. Opinions and discussions Marriage as a Godly institution should be provided with the most conducive environment for its formation. People who intend to get married have the responsibility of personal scrutiny to assess aspects such as compatibility to avoid instances and risks of divorce after marriage. Depending on the approached taken: whether cohabiting before marriage or directly getting married. The couple should take quality time to establish their readiness for being together in the long term. Such thoroughness results into healthy marriages, which means a progressive and healthy society. The evils faced in the society today as shown by research indicate an origin from wrong founding of the societys basic unit, which is a family. Divorce is not healthy for the society leave alone the impact it has on the children involved (Manning & Lamb, 2003). Such children have to face harsh conditions in life, and this makes them grow in a bitter way. Further research It is important to find out more on the impact that perception on cohabitation has on the rate of divorce among different age clusters. I would also like to see a piece of research on the link between premarital cohabitation and its impact on instabilities in marriages. The aim of this should be to diffuse the notion that cohabiting results into higher divorce rates. Instead, the research should be broader and focus into the real issues behind the high rates of divorce. Divorce can only be compared to death, and it reaps of a union the togetherness tearing everything apart (Stewart, Manning & Smock, 2003). It leaves the children as orphans and totally destabilizes the man and woman involved. Therefore, divorce should not be allowed to happen, and all should be done to reduce such rates. References Bradley, R. H., & Corwyn, R. F. (2004). ‘‘Family Process investments that matter for child wellbeing. In A. Kalil & T. DeLeire (Eds.), Family investments in children: Resources and parenting behaviors that promotes success (pp. 1–32). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Manning, W. D., & Lamb, K. (2003). Parental cohabitation and adolescent well-being. Journal of Marriage and Family, 65, 876 – 893. Osborne, C., & McLanahan, S. (2007). Partnership instability and child well-being. Journal of Marriage and Family, 69, 1065 – 1083. Stanley, S. M., Rhoades, G. K., & Markman, H. J. (2006). Sliding versus deciding: Inertia and the premarital cohabitation effect. Family Relations, 55, 499 – 509. Stewart, S. D., Manning, W. D., & Smock, P. J. (2003). Union formation among men in the US: Does having prior children matter? Journal of Marriage and Family, 65, 90 – 104. Read More