Abstract

The need for the current handbook attests to the instability of romantic unions in today’s society. Approximately one half of all first marriages end in separation or divorce (Bramlett & Mosher, 2002; Castro Martin & Bumpass, 1989; Rogers, 2004), with even higher rates of divorce for second marriages (Cherlin, 1992; Glick, 1984). Divorce is often preceded by separation, with 75% of separations resulting in divorce (Bloom, Hodges, Caldwell, Systra, & Cedrone, 1977). Although divorce rates have been declining since the early 1980s and marriages have become more stable in recent years (Heaton, 2002), divorce continues to wreak emotional and physical havoc on the families in which it occurs. Thus, identifying predictors of divorce and dissolution is an important task.