There are a few different ways that marital conflict can impact divorce. To begin with, couples who are in high-conflict marriages often have higher odds of divorce than those who are not. This constant conflict simply puts stress on the relationship and causes the two individuals to drift apart over time. If they cannot resolve their differences, it is unlikely that the marriage will last.
However, there are two ways in which conflict can change during the relationship – increasing or decreasing – and both of them could be an indicator that divorce is more likely. Let’s take a quick look at why this happens.
If conflict increases
If you feel like you and your spouse are starting to argue more often, it could be an indicator that you have other issues in your marriage that are unresolved. Maybe the two of you are fundamentally unhappy being in a relationship. As a result, it feels like every little disagreement or conflict turns into a major argument. But it is this deeper feeling of dissatisfaction with the marriage that makes this conflict so intense. When couples are already unhappy, even small issues tend to feel like a bigger deal.
If conflict decreases
Interestingly, even if the amount of arguing goes down, that can still indicate that divorce may be coming. It could just indicate that you or your spouse has decided to ask for a divorce. Mentally and emotionally, that person has already checked out of the relationship. As a result, they don’t see any reason to put in the time and energy to win these arguments. The arguing stops, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that there isn’t conflict any longer.
Do you believe that you and your spouse are going to get divorced this year? Make sure you know about all of your rights as you sort out property division, child custody solutions and much more.
