Factors associated with relationship dissolution of Australian families with children

Authors: Peter Butterworth,  Tamar Oz, Bryan Rodgers, and Helen Berry.

Overview

Previous research funded through the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) Social Policy and Research Services (SPRS) program has examined family and relationship transitions in Australia. Research seeking to identify the factors associated with marital instability provides an important basis for policy development and service delivery, such as the design and development of appropriate interventions and better targeting of at-risk couples (Hewitt, Baxter & Western 2005; Wolcott & Hughes 1999). This project was conducted in 2005 to investigate the context in which relationship instability occurs, by examining the factors (at the individual, and the couple/family levels) that precede relationship dissolution within Australian families with children.

This project seeks to complement the previous research conducted for FaHCSIA, focusing on our areas of expertise such as psychological and physical health and wellbeing. Previous research has shown that marital instability is associated with factors such as relationship and sexual dissatisfaction, presence of stepchildren, parental divorce, cohabitation prior to marriage, pregnancy prior to marriage, younger age at marriage, the consistency of attitudes between partners, financial and socioeconomic circumstances, educational attainment, negative interactions/behaviour between spouses (such as avoidance, negative reciprocity, and so on), wife’s employment, receipt of welfare payments, negative effect or depression, an unhappy childhood, duration of marriage and religiosity (for example, Bradbury & Norris 2005a; Hewitt, Baxter & Western 2005; Karney & Bradbury 1995; Wilson & Waddoups 2002).

 

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Updated on October 14, 2024

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