Question

How does the marital decline perspective compare with the marriage resilience perspective?

Answer 1

According to marital decline perspective, one’s personal goals/objectives are superior to that of the family’s larger goals. This means that personal goals are given priority over marriage goals. Moreover, statistics are suggestive of the fact that increase in divorce rates, marital conflicts & adopting single-parenthood practices are leading to more psychological distress, substance abuse, violence, delinquency rate, poverty & decline of communities or subgroups.

On the contrary, the marital resilience perspective suggests that in the past, many marriages were troublesome because divorce was surrounded by various stereotypes & was highly socially unacceptable. Today, with the divorce rates going high as well as increased focus on mental & emotional well-being as a greater priority have changed these trends. People therefore are more likely to step out of a marriage that is unhappy & unfulfilled rather than lingering on with it for the sake of societal acceptance. This also provides individuals with a second chance to happiness, instilling hope for a brighter future.