Several studies conducted during the last few years suggest that society’s views about traditional gender roles are not evolving as quickly as opportunities are opening up for women in the workplace. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that 38% of the wives throughout Arizona and the rest of the country earn more than their husbands. This increases the risk of divorce significantly, according to a Harvard Professor.
The professor came to this conclusion in 2016 after studying more than 6,000 relationships. She found that the chances of an income-related separation were particularly high when husbands only worked part-time. This could be due to men feeling inadequate about not living up to their traditional family breadwinner role. A 2017 study by the Pew Research Center suggests that these feeling are shared by society as a whole. Only one in four of those responding to the Pew poll said that it was important for mothers to provide financially for their children. That figure rose to 40% when the respondents were asked about the contribution fathers should make.
Many psychologists put the high rate of divorce among successful women down to fragile male egos. Much of the research in this area supports this theory. Some people expect these problems to become more pronounced in the coming years as a greater number of career opportunities open up to women.
Certain issues can gnaw away at a marriage over time and become extremely contentious during a divorce case. A family law attorney may recommend using a prenuptial agreement as a proactive way to avoid these problems. While such agreements do not offer any guarantee that a marriage will endure, they might let spouses know where they stand and could quell the uncertainty that often creeps into relationships when one party earns significantly more than the other.