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Big age gaps can make marriages go sour in six years

  • Study found men who are married to younger wives were initially most satisfied
  • But the marriage can go can sour in just six to ten years, researchers found
  • Similarly-aged couples are better at dealing with difficult decisions, study found
  • Marriages with large age gaps are less resilient in during economic downturns 

By

Phoebe Weston For Mailonline


Published:
07:48 EDT, 3 August 2017

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Updated:
08:02 EDT, 3 August 2017

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Marriages with a large age gap are less likely to work than when the couple is a similar age, according to new research.

Although men might be happier with a younger wife in the early stages of marriage, it can sour in just six to ten years, the study found.

Similarly-aged couples are better at dealing with difficult decisions as they are more in sync and will do much better in the long-run.

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In the study, men reported greater marital satisfaction when paired with a younger spouse, especially in the early years of marriage - but the reverse appears to be true as well. Pictured are actor Doug Hutchinson (57) and his ex-wife Courtney Stodden (22). They split after 6 years of marriage

In the study, men reported greater marital satisfaction when paired with a younger spouse, especially in the early years of marriage - but the reverse appears to be true as well. Pictured are actor Doug Hutchinson (57) and his ex-wife Courtney Stodden (22). They split after 6 years of marriage

In the study, men reported greater marital satisfaction when paired with a younger spouse, especially in the early years of marriage – but the reverse appears to be true as well. Pictured are actor Doug Hutchinson (57) and his ex-wife Courtney Stodden (22). They split after 6 years of marriage

WHAT DID THEY FIND? 

The study began in 2001 and participants were re-surveyed every year since with questions that measured their life satisfaction. 

Researchers looked at 7,682 households containing 19,914 individuals.

Similarly-aged couples may be more in sync on life decisions that affect both partners – such as having children and general spending habits – which makes them better equipped to deal with negative financial shock.

In contrast, unexpected financial shakeup could expose underlying tensions and mismatches in couples with larger age gaps.

Using research from 13 years of studying thousands of Australian households, researchers found that marriages with large age gaps are less resilient in the face of economic downturns.  

Men reported greater marital satisfaction when paired with a younger spouse, especially in the early years of marriage – but the reverse appears to be true as well.

‘We find that men who are married to younger wives are the most satisfied, and men who are married to older wives are the least satisfied,’ said Terra McKinnish, a professor of economics at the University of Colorado at Boulder and a co-author of the new study.

‘Women are also particularly dissatisfied when they’re married to older husbands and particularly satisfied if they’re married to younger husbands.

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‘Over time, the people who are married to a much older or younger spouse tend to have larger declines in marital satisfaction over time compared to those who are married to spouses who are similar in age,’ said Dr McKinnish.

The study began in 2001 and participants were re-surveyed every year since with questions that measured their life satisfaction.

Researchers looked at 7,682 households containing 19,914 individuals. 

Researchers found that marriages with large age gaps are less resilient in the face of economic downturns. Pictured is Johnny Depp (54) and his ex-wife Sunny Ozell (31)

Researchers found that marriages with large age gaps are less resilient in the face of economic downturns. Pictured is Johnny Depp (54) and his ex-wife Sunny Ozell (31)

Researchers found that marriages with large age gaps are less resilient in the face of economic downturns. Pictured is Johnny Depp (54) and his ex-wife Sunny Ozell (31)

One mechanism for this decline could be how the age difference between spouses affects the couple’s ability to respond to negative economic shocks, such as a job loss. 

‘We looked at how couples respond to negative shocks and in particular, if they have a major bad economic shock or worsening of their household finances,’ said Dr McKinnish.

‘We find that when couples have a large age difference, that they tend to have a much larger decline in marital satisfaction when faced with an economic shock than couples that have a very small age difference’, she said.

Although men might be happier with a younger wife in the first few years of marriage it can sour in just six to ten years, the study found. Pictured are Hugh Hefner (91) and his wife Crystal Harris (31)

Although men might be happier with a younger wife in the first few years of marriage it can sour in just six to ten years, the study found. Pictured are Hugh Hefner (91) and his wife Crystal Harris (31)

Although men might be happier with a younger wife in the first few years of marriage it can sour in just six to ten years, the study found. Pictured are Hugh Hefner (91) and his wife Crystal Harris (31)

Similarly-aged couples may be more in sync on life decisions that affect both partners – such as having children and general spending habits – which makes them better equipped to deal with negative financial shock.

In contrast, unexpected financial shakeup could expose underlying tensions and mismatches in couples with larger age gaps.

 

 

 

 

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