So many factors contribute to marriage problems. The lack of commitment seems to be one of the most pressing issues, causing 75 percent of all divorces. Infidelity, extensive conflict and getting married too young follow as the most common reasons for marriage dissolution.
Over the years, however, sociology experts have noted that representatives of certain professions exhibit disproportionately high divorce rates.
Could their jobs be contributing to relationship issues and if so, why? Let’s take a look at the professions linked to the highest divorce rates and attempt uncovering the reason why such social phenomena occur.
Bartenders
A new study puts bartenders at the top of the list of professionals bound to eventually get a divorce.
In fact, the divorce rate for this profession is as high as 52.9 percent.
Several elements of this job could contribute to an increased risk of separation. Bartenders tend to be quite young. In addition, they work in a place where inhibitions disappear and people look for fun opportunities to get together with someone new.
The working hours could also be contributing to marriage issues due to the fact they make it difficult for spouses to get together and spend quality time in each other’s presence.
Flight Attendants
Flight attendants have nearly the same high divorce rate as bartenders.
Frequent absences from home and scheduling issues are obviously difficult to overcome in such families. If the couple has children, the situation becomes even more complex.
An interesting study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine shows that flight attendants are more likely to get divorced than other professionals due to the high stress nature of their job.
Psychological distress tends to be high among female flight attendants, having an impact on their mental state and their overall health. Of all women who practice the profession, many are under constant duress due to difficult passengers, sexual harassment and even workplace depression.
These women find it very difficult to balance their job and their family responsibilities. As a result, many of them reported relationship problems and even marriage dissolution.
Rolling Machine Operators (and Other Factory Workers)
Out of all factory workers, rolling machine operators who are tasked with shaping up plastic or steel are the ones that have the highest divorce rate – 50.1 percent.
This profession is obviously very different from those ranked first and second. The people factor is missing so what could be contributing to marriage troubles?
According to research, rolling machine operators are quite often underpaid. Stress related to finances is the one that leads to eventual separations.
One more factor could be contributing to alienation and distancing oneself from one’s family as a consequence of practicing the job. Rolling machine operation is a repetitive and unstable task. Many people who have such an occupation eventually report disconnect from everyday life and even from loved ones.
Finally, people who work in factories tend to obtain relatively little education in comparison to the other professionals featured in the ranking. Historically, lower education has been linked to high divorce rates.
Telemarketers
It may seem surprising to find telemarketers on the list but the divorce rate for these professionals is 49.2 percent.
Some explain this phenomenon with the workplace stress that telemarketers experience on a daily basis.
These professionals talk to clients and prospects all day. They have to listen to complaints, they have to promote and they have to address issues that customers are facing. As a result, telemarketers can quickly become jaded and incapable of fulfilling communication in their personal life.
Massage Therapists
With a divorce rate of 47.8 percent, massage therapists also suffer from disproportionately high separation levels in comparison to other professionals.
You may already have an idea what the cause of concern in this instance is.
Massage therapist have to touch other individuals all day long. The somewhat intimate nature of the work they do could contribute to jealousy and worries about infidelity among their partners.
In studies, the partners of massage therapists often report feeling threatened by the work their partners do and the interactions they have with clients.
Licensed Nurses
Finally, 47 percent of licensed nurses will undergo marriage dissolution as a consequence of practicing the profession.
Long work hours are often to blame. Nurses will sometimes have to go through the night and weekend shifts. In addition, the job is a high stress one. It leaves practitioners feeling both emotionally and physically exhausted by the time they get home.
Putting all emotions in patient care interferes in quality family time. Nurses often find themselves incapable of maintaining a comfortable home and taking proper care of their kids.
Jobs That Have the Lowest Divorce Rates
Luckily, some jobs are characterized by lower than average divorce rates. If you practice one of these professions, you rank among the lucky individuals who are statistically less likely to separate from a partner.
Actuaries have the lowest divorce rate among all professionals – 17 percent. Physicists occupy the second position with a divorce rate of 18.9 percent and life scientists are third with 19.6 percent. Other professions that contribute to family stability include software developers, clergy, physical therapists, optometrists and chemical engineers.
Architecture and engineering is the industry featuring the lowest divorce rate for all professionals – 27.5 percent. Office and administrative support falls on the other end of the spectrum with a divorce rate of 40.6 percent.
These figures do not signify everyone who practices a specific profession is doomed in their personal life. Some individuals, however, may be much more stressed out or absent more often than other workers. In such instances, the family will have to come up with a coping mechanism that will restore stability and happiness.
Elizabeth S. Coyle is the current Director of Client Services for JacksonWhite Attorneys at Law based in Mesa, Arizona. She serves as a paralegal for the Family Law Department of the firm.
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