Spring is generally associated with the return of sunny days and the appearance of the first flowers. But it would also have a less poetic side. Indeed, according to the results of a study conducted by the University of Washington, spring is also the season for divorces.
Did you know that there is a time of year that is more favorable for separations? According to an American study, carried out by the University of Washington, divorces have a cycle and will return more significantly in the spring.
More divorces between the months of March and August
To establish this result, the researchers, Julie Brines, associate professor of sociology, and Brian Serafini, doctoral student, studied divorce requests between the years 2001 and 2015. In this period of time, separations would be much more numerous between the months of March and August. But how can we explain that spring is the season associated with breakups for married couples?
Several reasons explain this
Scientists put forward several arguments to explain why the month of April is particularly affected by divorces.
- The month of April would be more appropriate to announce a separation, once the end of year and Easter holidays have passed. To avoid hurting their loved ones, some couples prefer to wait until these moments are behind them, to announce this news;
- Some couples see the arrival of spring as a renewal, an opportunity to make decisions and separate, a bit like a big spring cleaning;
- Others put forward a very specific reason: to avoid spending another summer vacation together, to avoid arguments and crises. Announcing a divorce in the spring would avoid this;
- Finally, spring is also the time to file your taxes, so it is a good time, according to them, to separate and avoid problems related to finances.
How to cope well with your divorce?
Like any difficult stage in life, divorce is a real journey to go through, with its share of difficulties. Psychologists recommend accepting the situation and trying to look forward, surrounded by friends or family, and looking to the future, once the divorce has been finalized.
More specifically for women, it is also recommended to remain prudent from a financial point of view. Indeed, according to a note published in mid-March by the Observatory for the Economic Empowerment of Women (Women's Foundation) entitled “The cost of divorce”, 20% of women fall into poverty at the time of divorce. or separation. This figure even rises to 34% among mothers.
But be careful, because this economic weakening is not immediate: on the contrary, it is progressive. “Divorce or separation often reveals pre-existing mechanisms of insecurity. Marriage is often a spiral of poverty for women. underlines the note. Because in three-quarters of couples, the man earns a better living than his wife.
Slide: 10 tips for a successful divorce
