There are studies done on a frequent basis that seek to answer why so many marriages seem to fail. A new study seems to suggest that having brothers and sisters may enable a couple to be less likely to divorce. The study however, has drawn its share of critics, of course, but it may be interesting to families in Utah and elsewhere.
The researchers that have shared this recent report have stated that the more siblings a person has may improve the chances of a successful marriage in the future. One of the researchers has put forth theory that having a larger family may allow people to develop the social skill set that is important when resolving marriage problems. It has been estimated that each additional child in a family may lower the chance of a divorce by a small percentage.
Many others who also study and work to understand family dynamics believe that the report is unique but not conclusive at all. It has been shown that single children are quite able to handle the pressures of relationships without having to have come from a large family. There have been other researchers that believe that more work would need to be done before the study could be shown to have real merit.
While this type of research seeks to try and help people maintain healthy marriages, no study can accurately predict the type of relationships that each individual will later be a part of. Most couples probably enter into a marriage with the intent to be successful. However, there may be situations that arise that cannot be overcome regardless of the effort that the couple may put into the marriage. Utah does have resources available that may be able to provide information to families that feel a divorce may be the best resolution for problems that they may be struggling through.
Source: USA Today, “Growing up with more siblings could reduce divorce risk,” Sharon Jayson, Aug. 13, 2013