New Study Finds Seasonal Increases in Divorce

As one of the researchers explained, holidays are “very symbolically charged moments in time.”  Therefore, when the reality of the holiday experience does not meet these heightened hopes and expectations, it may propel the disappointed spouse to file for divorce.  Hence, the sharp increase in divorce filings in the month of August, during the period between the end of summer family vacations and the start of the new school year.

The researchers also found the same cause-and-effect tied to the spike in divorce filings during the month of March.  Although there appears to be more of a lag between the end of the winter holidays and the March filing spike, the researchers believe this delay is explained by the time needed by a party to find an attorney, get his or her finances in order and gather the resolve to take the final step in ending the marriage.  Although these same factors are at play after the summer holidays end, the researchers surmised that for couples with children, the beginning of the school year accelerates this process.

After discovering this semi-annual spike in divorce cases tied to these societal factors, the researchers’ conclusions were further supported by uncovering the same filing pattern in other Washington court proceedings involving families, such as guardianship filings, which also increased in March and August.  Finally, the researchers tested this Washington filing pattern against filings in other states.  After analyzing data from Arizona, Florida, Ohio and Minnesota, they found the same seasonal divorce filing pattern.  Although further research is needed to confirm that this pattern extends to the entire country, the evidence suggests that increases in divorce are tied to the end of the holiday seasons.