Chronic stress. It seems to be the bane of everyone’s existence, compromising the immune system, leading to pain, fatigue, and illness – just to name a few. But did you know stress can also lead to divorce?

A group of researchers conducted a study looking causes of divorce from 662 individuals from Germany, Italy, and Switzerland (Bodenmann, et al., 2007). Participants in their study rated their reasons for getting a divorce as well as the immediate causes for divorce. The most popular reasons individuals gave for getting divorced were a lack of commitment (cheating, not being respected) as well as problems in the relationship like poor communication. When asked what the immediate prompt was for the relationship ending, however, “an accumulation of everyday stress” and “infidelity” were at the top of the list.

The researchers suggest that minor stresses can eat away at the relationship, causing individuals to spend less time together, making their interactions more negative, and eventually creating a chasm between couples (Bodenmann, 1995). Like your immune system, chronic stress may lower your ability to communicate well and solve problems in your relationship too. In other words, these little daily irritants of life can add up to cause hurtful outcomes in the long term. So, while they may seem minor at the time, be sure to address these stressors while they are manageable.

Further Reading:

Relax, Worry-Wart: Stress and the Mind-Body Connection

The American Institute of Stress

Bodenmann, G. (1995). A systemic-transactional conceptualization of stress and coping in couples. Swiss Journal of Psychology, 54, 34-49.

Bodenmann, G., Charvoz, L., Bradbury, T. N., Bertoni, A., Iafrate, R., Guiliani, C., Banse, R., & Behling, J. (2007). The role of stress in divorce: A three-nation retrospective study. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 24, 707-728.

Karney, B. R., & Bradbury, T. N. (1995). The longitudinal course of marital quality and stability: A review of theory, method, and research. Psychological Bulletin, 118, 3-34.