Divorce makes you happier apparently….

Researchers at Kingston University have recently published the results of a study in the journal Economica which shows that women are significantly happier for up to 5 years after their divorce.

Men apparently feel slightly happier after their divorce, but the increase in happiness is not as marked as for women.

The study involved 10,000 participants over 20 years who were asked to rate their happiness before and after major events in their lives. Divorce it would seem makes you happier.  The study revealed that unemployment is the one major life event which has a long term negative impact on the well being of both men and women, surprisingly more so than being widowed.

Commenting on why divorce may make women happier than men, Professor Yannis Georgellis of Kingston Business School said “One explanation could be that women who enter into an unhappy marriage feel much more liberated after divorce than their male counterparts.”

The ONS latest statistics on divorce reveals that the most common ground for women to seek a divorce is unreasonable behaviour; 54%  of divorces granted to women are on this ground as against 36% of divorces granted to men on the same ground. Perhaps these statistics explain a little why women’s perception of divorce is different to men’s.

Either way the findings of this study show that not only is there life after divorce, but it should be a happier life too.  

 

Sally Leaman

Head of Family Law Gorvins