According to a study conducted by researchers at London’s Kingston University, yes! The project gathered survey data from 10,000 participants across the UK between the age of 16 and 60, measuring the levels of happiness experienced before and after major life milestones. When it came to divorce, men reported themselves as “slightly happier” after a separation, while women said they were significantly happier and more satisfied with their lives for up to five years afterwards. What was especially interesting was that this feeling of contentment was generally higher than their individual baseline level of happiness reported throughout their lives.
Explaining the results of the study, researchers said that despite women often experiencing “a negative financial impact” following a divorce, the process still makes them happier than men. “One possible explanation could be that women who enter into an unhappy marriage feel much more liberated after divorce than their male counterparts,” said Professor Yannis Georgellis, Kingston Business School’s Director of the Centre for Research in Employment, Skills and Society.
But what about all the women who had happy marriages which just happened to end in divorce? Well, according to the project, the psychological process of adaptation can play an enormous part in the level of happiness following a major life event such as divorce. Perhaps in the case of relationship breakdown, women are simply more likely to ‘bounce back’ and adjusting to new circumstances than men.
Whatever your relationship situation, if you’re seeking a separation or divorce from your partner, a huge part of your future happiness depends on the success and ease of the legal processes you’ll need to go through. That means finding a divorce solicitor or family lawyer who understands your position and your needs, and can help you – individually or as a couple – to come to the best decision possible. If you’re in Maidenhead, Beaconsfield or anywhere in Buckinghamshire or Berkshire, Frances Lindsay & Co’s solicitors can help to take some of the weight from your shoulders – and hopefully leave you much happier after your divorce, no matter what the statistics say.
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