In a recent study regarding alcohol consumption featured in ScienceDaily, research provides evidence for a topic that should be of concern for married, or soon to be married, couples — that drinking alcohol increases the risk of divorce.

According to one of the study’s researchers, Fartein Ask Torvik, not only do the study’s findings show that the more people drink, the higher the risk of divorce, but also that the compatibility of both partners’ drinking behavior is associated with divorce as well.

If a married couple drinks about the same amount of alcohol, or if both people completely abstain from drinking alcohol, the risk of divorce is lowered.

Interestingly, one of the other results of the study is that heavy alcohol consumption among women is more strongly associated with divorce than among men.

“The risk of divorce is estimated to be tripled when the husband’s level drinking is low and the wife’s drinking is heavy, compared with couples where both drink lightly.”

According to the researchers, this can be explained by the following factors:

• The average woman is more strongly affected by heavy drinking than the average man, so heavy-drinking women may be more impaired than heavy-drinking men.
• Society is less accepting of heavy-drinking women than heavy-drinking men.
• A wife’s heavy drinking may interfere more with everyday family life.
• A husband may be more likely to the leave the spouse than the wife may be when major problems occur due to drinking.

The researchers warn that based on these findings, couples who intend on getting married should be aware of the drinking pattern of their partner since it is proven to be a possible problem. Ideally, partners should drink the same amounts as each other, or not drink at all.

(Fotosearch)