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How personality type may affect divorce risk

On Behalf of | Oct 1, 2019 | Divorce |

Virginia marriages might be more likely to end in divorce if one or both spouses has certain personality traits. For example, people who avoid conflict may not deal with problems in the marriage. This can cause those problems to go unresolved and might eventually lead to a divorce.

Catastrophizing is another personality trait that could lead to a divorce. This happens when a person has a tendency to take relatively minor incidents and treat them as though they are much more important. The person might even go on to file for divorce multiple times before realizing that doing so was an overreaction. Insecurity can also be a problem since it can lead to seeking external approval and infidelity.

Both narcissism and selfishness can increase the divorce risk. When people are narcissistic, they do not acknowledge their part in any problems the couple has. Narcissistic people tend to see themselves as victims. Selfishness is a trait that everyone exhibits sometimes, and there are time when it is necessary for people to put their needs first. However, when a person is selfish all the time, this can eventually destroy a marriage. On the other hand, being too giving can create problems as well. It puts one spouse in a position of needing nothing from the other, which can block intimacy.

When couples are going through the process of reaching agreements on property division and child custody during a divorce, these issues can also cause problems. Couples have a choice between negotiating an agreement or going to litigation, but many prefer to try negotiating first. However, if one spouse refuses to cooperate because of one or more of these difficult personality traits, this may not be possible. An attorney may be able to help a client prepare for either option.

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