Killewald added: “Often when scholars or the media talk about work-family policies or work-family balance, they focus mostly on the experiences of women.

“Although much of the responsibility for negotiating that balance falls to women, my results suggest one way that expectations about gender and family roles and responsibilities affect men’s lives, too: men who aren’t able to sustain full-time work face heightened risk of divorce.”

The four red flags that signal trouble in any relationship

John Gottman, a professor of psychology who specialises in martial stability, has revealed that it’s very easy to predict which relationships don’t have what it takes to go the distance.

In fact, he is able to predict with 93.6 accuracy whether a couple is going to divorce or not. And, among the contributing factors he identified as causes, four have stood out, time and time again – so much so that Gottman has dubbed them the “four horseman of the apocalypse”.

1) Criticism

For example: “You’re late because you don’t care about me.”

Criticism specifically frames the complaints in the context of a defect in your partner, strikes at their heart, and signals the end of your relationship is set to come sooner rather than later.

2) Contempt

Whether it takes the form of name-calling, eye-rolling, sneering, mockery, and hostile humour, contempt is poisonous to a relationship because it conveys disgust.

3) Defensiveness

In pushing the blame onto other people – and, in failing to take responsibility for our behaviour – we damage our relationships irreparably

4) Stonewalling

Stonewalling essentially means withdrawing from a conversation, even if physically present. It can be extremely harmful to a relationship, as it prevents conflict from getting resolved.

To find out more about the four red flags that signal divorce, read our article here.

Image: iStock

The surprising factor that is most likely to lead to divorce