Can Facebook cause a divorce?

On Behalf of | Oct 29, 2015 | Divorce |

Facebook may be your go-to way to connect with people, but a study shows that it could also be a huge hindrance on your relationship, perhaps even leading to divorce.

The study was carried out by researchers from the University of Missouri School of Journalism, St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, and the University of Hawaii at Hilo. They talked with 205 individuals who were over 18 and under 83 years old, and a full 79 percent of them were currently in relationships of one type or another.

What they found was that excessive usage of Facebook—going on it once every 60 minutes or more—led to many conflicts, often due to:

— People who reconnected with partners they had had in the past.– People who monitored what their significant others did on Facebook.– Couples who felt jealous due to online interactions.– Couples who argued about exes.– Physical cheating.– Emotional cheating.

This study actually connects to one that was carried out in the United Kingdom not long before it. In that study, which happened in 2012, the research team discovered that Facebook showed up in about 33 percent of the divorce cases.

To combat this, the researchers do not recommend giving up on the social media site entirely, but they do say that it is often wise to limit usage. This can help to decrease tension and reduce the odds of an argument over online activity.

Are you and your spouse going to get a divorce in California? Whether or not online actions play a part in it, you need to look into all of your legal rights and the steps that need to be taken.

Source: Huffington Post, “Facebook, Divorce Linked In New Study,” accessed Oct. 29, 2015

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