Relationship Dissolution Among Adults

Abstract

Abstract The end of a marriage or cohabitation is an intrusive life course event witnessed within a substantial number of romantic relationships. The uncoupling of relationships has transformed the family lives of both adults and children in most Western countries for the past half-century. This chapter first looks into the phenomenon from a legal perspective delineating when a breakup is witnessed and registered. Next, we examine both the causes and the consequences of breakups. For antecedents of divorce, we focus on intergenerational inheritance of breakups, educational attainment, economic risk factors, personality, and health. We also touch upon protective factors in a relationship that decreases the risk of ending a relationship. When taking consequences into account, the chapter is limited to adults. The chapter describes the financial consequences of divorce, their health, networks and lone parenthood, and poverty after divorce. The chapter concludes with a prospect of the future of this field.