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Are Divorces ‘Contagious’?

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Kantrowitz, Goldhamer, Graifman, Perlmutter & Carballo, P.C.

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Written/Reviewed By:

Barry S. Kantrowitz, Esq.

Last Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Read Time: 3 mins

Are divorces “contagious”? Last week, the New York Post had an interesting story about how divorces may be increasing among groups of people, as the public sees friends seeking them out.

Buried inside the story was an interesting statistic. According to the Post, a 2014 joint study from Brown University, Yale University and the University of California, San Diego, found that people are 75 percent more likely to be divorced if one of their friends is divorced.

Does this mean that divorce is “contagious”?

It could be very possible that most American’s simply know someone who is divorced. Ask yourself—do you know someone who is divorced? It is our guess that a majority of adults reading this post do.

“Many copycatters want to get divorced but don’t have the guts to go through with the humongous, life-changing, emotional roller coaster of an event — made even more complicated if kids are involved,” the Post reported. “But seeing their friends’ do it first gives people the strength to follow suit — and the reassurance that it’s possible for everything to work out OK.”

This, in a very general sense, may be true; however, we would not define someone seeking a divorce as a “copycatter” or label the act as “contagious”.

If you are thinking about a divorce, and you have friends who are divorced, common sense would indicate that you might turn to them as an example for support and/or guidance.

Should I Get Divorced?

Many people are simply in unhappy, unbalanced or unsupportive marriages in this country. You may have heard the statistic that 50 percent of marriages end in divorce—while this number is hard to corroborate, it is true that a sizable percentage of marriages do end.

It is not our place to tell you whether you should seek a divorce; however, we can help you out with the legal process if you believe that you want one. Many delicate issues go into getting a divorce. Items including the division of marital assets, alimony and child custody can cause contention.

While these issues may be divisive, with experienced counsel, they can be resolved. Simply put, you should not stay in a marriage because of some stigma that divorce is embarrassing or contagious.

Let our attorneys help you if you are thinking about divorcing your spouse. Our family law offices in New York or New Jersey can be reached through our online contact form.

Kantrowitz, Goldhamer, Graifman, Perlmutter & Carballo, P.C. – Rockland County Divorce Attorneys

Source: http://nypost.com/2014/07/05/why-divorce-might-be-contagious/

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   Kenny Perlow 
 22 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. KGG Law, and Barry Kantrowitz in particular, set the bar high for what a thorough, practical, strategic, compassionate and smart lawyer can be. Everything about Barry's advice and representation was exemplary and the stress mitigation that resulted was invaluable. On top of that, the ultimate result Barry achieved was beyond what was reasonable to expect and we are forever grateful. Often, people say that you hire a lawyer to prevent a problem. Sometimes, unfortunately, you need an attorney to solve a problem and I could not recommend Barry and his firm any more highly in that regard.
  
 
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 86 days ago
 
 
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 89 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I had a wonderful experience working with Sam Smith. He was very responsive, thorough, and easy to work with from start to finish. He walked me through everything clearly and made what started as a very stressful situation for me into something completely manageable. I would not hesitate to recommend him and the firm!
  
 
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   Mike Sakmann 
 95 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I sought legal advice regarding an employment matter and had an excellent experience working with Sam Smith, Esq. at KGG Law. Sam was thorough, attentive, and took the time to listen carefully to my concerns before providing clear, thoughtful guidance. I appreciated the professionalism and care shown throughout the process, and I would confidently recommend KGG Law to anyone in need of legal assistance.
  
 
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   Liz Hecker 
 101 days ago
 
 
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 124 days ago
 
 
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   Mike Greenspan 
 137 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Kate Carballo is a dedicated, passionate, and creative attorney whom I had the pleasure to lecture with at a state trial lawyer's conference. Kate's lecture demonstrated how she uses her innovative and "out-of-the-box thinking" to achieve outstanding results for her injured clients. That Kate is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a civil trial attorney is a testament to her skills, experience and commitment to excellence.
  
 
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 144 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Was referred to KGG law by a friend and could not have asked for better legal representation. They walked me through every step of the process after my accident and began every call with “ how are you feeling” which was just one example of how much they care about their clients. They handled my case very efficiently, professionally and courteously. My attorney Kate Carballo was a rock star! So clearly experienced, she consistently made me feel at ease with the process. Highly recommend
  
 
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   Vinnie Kung 
 147 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We had a great experience with the team at KGG Law. While it was a traumatic time for our family, they made it very easy for us and explained all of our options. They even performed due diligence to make sure that after our settlement, there would be no further issues which I think is even more important than the settlement itself. Thank you!

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Are Divorces ‘Contagious’?

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