People in California may not be surprised to consider that their career choices affect their personal lives, from their physical and psychological health to their interpersonal relationships. According to one study, however, the reach of career choice into romantic partnership goes beyond the effects of stress or a long workday. The September 2018 study says that when straight, married people work around more people of the opposite sex, they are also more likely to have a divorce.
Previous studies had indicated that men who live in communities with many more women are more likely to divorce, but researchers pointed out that for many people, the communities where they spend most of their time are found in the workplace. This study reviewed two decades of Danish employment, marriage and divorce records to gain a view of how different professions are linked to the likelihood of divorce. It included those involved in a marriage to an opposite-sex partner at any time between 1981 and 2002 who also worked at some point in that period. Once the researchers factored in known issues like marital age, number of children and level of education, they found that people were indeed more likely to divorce when they worked in careers with more potential partners.
Men showed this effect more strongly than women, especially in single-gender dominated professions. The highest divorce rate was found not in an industry with one dominant gender but in the hotel and restaurant industry, which is frequently known for late nights and a social environment.
After years of marriage, many different problems can develop that showcase irreconcilable issues between a couple. A family law attorney might work with a divorcing spouse to address a range of legal issues that accompany the end of a marriage, from property division and spousal support to child custody.