Why Lack of Commitment Can Break Down a Marriage

Lack of commitment was the most frequently reported major contributor.

A 2013 study interviewed 52 divorced individuals who had previously participated in the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program while engaged.

These percentages describe this study sample. They are not universal divorce rates.

Commitment is more than staying married on paper.

Participants described commitment as something that could gradually erode or sharply decline after serious relationship injuries. In practical terms, commitment includes the willingness to keep investing, communicate, protect agreed boundaries, and work through problems.

Commitment has to show up in behavior.

• Address recurring problems before they become permanent patterns.
• Talk directly about whether both partners are still willing to work on the relationship.
• Protect trust and boundaries before outside relationships compete with the marriage.
• Use relationship education before and during marriage, not only after a crisis.

This study should not be turned into a universal statistic.

The sample was small and specific, and responses were retrospective self-reports. The study identifies common reported contributors within that group; it does not prove that lack of commitment causes every divorce.

Original research