A recent article in Medical News Today highlights a study by University of Washington Associate sociology Prof. Julie Brines and doctoral candidate Brian Serafini that found patterns in the timing of filing for divorce. Specifically, the study found "biannual patterns of filings for divorce – that divorce is seasonal during the periods following winter and summer vacations." In exploring the reason for the patterns the article notes,
Prof. Brines mentions that troubled couples may see the holidays as a time to mend relationships, and they might believe that if they have a happy Christmas or a successful camping trip, everything will be "fixed" and their lives will improve.
However, in reality, those periods of the year can be both emotionally charged and stressful for many, and they may expose cracks in a marriage. The seasonal nature of divorce filings may reflect the disillusionment unhappy spouses experience when vacation time does not live up to their high expectation, the research team points out.
The study did not include data from Delaware. However, future research will examine whether these patterns are found in other states so stay tuned.
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