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Business Cycles and Divorce: Evidence from Microdata.
Judith K Hellerstein1, Melinda Sandler Morrill, Ben Zou
1University of Maryland, Department of Economics and MPRC, and NBER, 3105 Tydings Hall, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742.
Economics Letters
|May 4, 2013
Summary
Divorce rates tend to increase during economic downturns, particularly affecting women who married young or lack a college education. This pro-cyclical divorce trend highlights economic influences on marital stability.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Economics
- Demography
Background:
- Marital dissolution is influenced by various socioeconomic factors.
- Understanding the cyclical nature of divorce provides insights into societal and economic pressures on families.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between economic cycles and divorce rates.
- To identify demographic groups most affected by pro-cyclical divorce.
Main Methods:
- Utilized individual-level data for comprehensive analysis.
- Employed a wide range of control variables to ensure robustness of findings.
Main Results:
- Divorce exhibits a pro-cyclical pattern on average.
- This trend is predominantly observed among women with early marriage histories and/or lower educational attainment.
Conclusions:
- Economic conditions significantly impact marital stability.
- Vulnerable demographic groups, specifically young women and those without college degrees, are disproportionately affected by economic downturns leading to divorce.
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