The Independent recently posted an article that they based on the works of a famous sociology researcher Nicholas Wolfinger. He is the Professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Studies and Adjunct Professor of Sociology at the University of Utah. He analyzed data published by the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) from 2006-2010.
A huge amount of data was analyzed in an effort to determine what age gap is the most appropriate for a lasting marriage. They conducted numerous surveys and collected thousands of applications to try to get this one as right as one can.
So what did he find?
Apparently, the perfect time to get married is anywhere from the age of 28 to 32. Well, in reality he found out that couples that got married at this age are the least likely to get divorced, and that they are, by their own subjective feeling, the happiest in their marriage. Early marriages along with those that happen after the parties turn 40 are far more likely not to last for long.
Wolfinger then used the data to form some ideas about the cause of such results. In his opinion, early couples lack life experience and the experience of being with someone for an extended period of time, so their relationships are based on youthful exuberance and, unfortunately, do not always stand the test of time.
As for marriages after 40 – he likewise assumes that a lot of them are sometimes done as a “last resort” deal, without carefully gaging the partner by people’s highest standards. Well, there you go. The perfect age for a marriage is 28 to 32 years old. You don’t have to agree with the researchers’ explanations, but the statistical data shows us that much.
Rachel Hall, M.A., completed her education in English at the University of Pennsylvania and received her master’s degree in family therapy from Northern Washington University. She has been actively involved in the treatment of anxiety disorders, depression, OCD, and coping with life changes and traumatic events for both families and individual clients for over a decade. Her areas of expertise include narrative therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and therapy for traumatic cases. In addition, Rachel conducts workshops focusing on the psychology of positive thinking and coping skills for both parents and teens. She has also authored numerous articles on the topics of mental health, stress, family dynamics and parenting.
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