Study Says Facebook Use May Be Linked to Divorce

A new study appearing in the journal Computers in Human Behavior indicates that heavy use of social media sites like Facebook are correlated with higher rates of divorce and marital dissatisfaction. Although the study found that two are linked, it wasn’t clear whether Facebook use leads to unhappy marriages or vice versa.

The journal article found similar results to a 2011 survey by the University of Texas Austin, in which nearly one-third of respondents who were heavy social media users said they had thought about leaving their spouses. That was compared to just 16 percent of those who don’t use social media at all. Some believe that the easy access Facebook provides to former boyfriends and girlfriends is making it more likely that individuals will engage in extramarital affairs.

Critics of the study, including Facebook itself, say that there are inherent flaws in the research. For one, it simply looks at increases in Facebook users per state and the divorce rates in those states, and doesn’t take into account the people who could be creating those profiles. In other words, the individuals signing up for the social media platform might not be the ones actually getting divorced.

Although the efficacy of this recent study is unclear, there are many people who find that Facebook, Twitter and other forms of social media are getting in the way of their relationships with their spouses. It’s also increasingly common for individuals to have affairs, as it is easier now more than ever to meet new partners or connect with old ones online. When this occurs, a difficult divorce could ensue.

If you’re going through a divorce due to infidelity, habitual social media use or any other issue, speak with a knowledgeable family law attorney with Bryan L. Salamone & Associates for the guidance and advice you need.