Considering the Roles of Children and Finances in the Divorce Decision-Making Process

Deciding to divorce can be confusing, with a clear path moving forward elusive. We conducted a qualitative content analysis of 30 interviews of individuals deciding whether to divorce to gain a better understanding of the role that children and finances play in this process. Key findings include that children and finances are not only reasons to stay in a marriage (barriers to divorce) but are also reasons people give for why they are interested in leaving the marriage. We provide an in-depth analysis on this phenomenon as well as suggestions for clinicians working with couples deciding to divorce.