New Divorce Study by Harvard Ph.D. Shows that More Women Initate the Process
A recent study by a Harvard educated Ph.D. has indicated that 2/3 of the
divorces in the US are initiated by women. This research was reported
by a nationally representative study by the American Association of Retired
People and was based on the study of more than 1,000 divorced men and
women, aged 40 to 79.
The most common reasons the women cited for divorce were verbal, emotional
and physical neglect. Many of the husbands, however, were completely surprised
by their wives discontent. More than 25% of the men said that they were
blindsided by their wife's desire to divorce.
The study indicated that many of the men in the study said they tried to
be caring and supportive of their wives's needs, but they focused
on what they assumed to be their primary role which was that of the provider.
They husbands whose wives filed for divorce revealed that they felt tremendous
pressure to ensure the family's financial security and to constantly
improve their standard of living.
The conclusion of the study showed that 76% of the women and 64% of the
men were confident that their decision to divorce was the best possible choice.
Judith Kleinfeld, a long-time columnist for the Daily News-Miner, holds
a doctorate from Harvard and is a psychology professor emeritus at the
University of Alaska Fairbanks.
