Money, Work, Norms, and Love: Reexamining Determinants of Divorce

Past studies consistently show that approximately two-thirds of divorces are initiated by women. In the literature of divorce, however, many studies examining determinants of divorce have ignored differences between risk factors that elevate wives' and husbands’ decision to leave marriages. Using longitudinal data and multinomial logistic regression, this study revisits three well-known perspectives of divorce: the economic independence perspective, the financial strain perspective, and the gendered institution perspective. Findings suggest that women are more likely to take the initiative to divorce, and there are some social determinants have stronger effects on 'her left' than on 'his left.' The author discusses that studies of divorce require a gender lens to analyze the asymmetric gender change in recent years.