Showbiz / Facebook: A Factor In Increased Divorces

Facebook: A Factor In Increased Divorces

Showbiz Dec 11, 2014

by Anokhi Admin

One Study Suggests That There’s A Link Between Social Media Site Facebook And A Increase In Divorces

Facebook has revolutionized the ways in which relationships evolve, as people remain in touch with their exes and childhood friends. But a study in the journal Computers in Human Behavior by researchers from Universidad Católica de Chile and Boston University suggests that there’s a link between social media use and decreased marriage quality. They observed this trend in all the models that they analyzed.

Though their research didn’t prove that social media is responsible for troubled marriages, there’s potential to prove this link in future studies. The scholars sourced their data from a 2011–2012 survey that looked at individuals and their social media usage as well as the quality of their married lives. The study also compared state-by-state divorce rates to per-capita Facebook accounts.

The authors of the study told CNBC, “Although it may seem surprising that a Facebook profile, a relatively small factor compared to other drivers of human behaviour, could have a significant statistical relationship with divorce rates and marital satisfaction, it nonetheless seems to be the case.”

The study’s authors speculated that individuals who are struggling in their marriages may turn to social media like Facebook and Twitter for emotional support. They turn to a support system that may do more harm than good because it diverts their attention from focusing on their spousal relationships and getting much-needed marriage counseling to save their marriage. One benefit, however, of Facebook is that allows divorced couples to remain in touch without forcing direct contact.

According to a National Household Survey by Statistics Canada, 6.0 per cent of Canadians over 15 years of age were divorced. Among minorities, 4.4 per cent were divorced, while South Asians were merely 2.4 per cent divorced. From this survey, we can infer that there’s a low rate of divorced South Asians in Canada. This is the only data, however, showcasing any divorce rates of South Asians in Canada.

Arti Patel of The Huffington Post observes that divorce in South Asian communities remains a taboo practice. She notes that many toxic marriages remain intact for the sake of pride, shame, finances, honour and duty.

Dhara Thakar, assistant professor of human development at the Erikson Institute in Chicago, says, “Marriage is thought of as a rite of passage … and the thought of divorce is extremely negative and something that’s contrary to what this culture is building towards. There are so many assumptions made about it [divorce] and our culture hasn't come up with a great dialogue for how to discuss it, what it means for the now and the future.”

True to Thakar’s statement, while Facebook may play a compelling role in the increase of divorce rates in North America, it will still be unclear just how many of those divorces come from South Asian couples who continue to perceive divorce as controversial. Many families continue to hold on to their cultural capital, forcing them to hold on to their traditional values and continue their marriages even if they’re unhappy.

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