“In Western cultures, more than 90% of people marry before the age of 50. Studies show that healthy marriages are good for couples’ mental and physical health” (“Marriage and Divorce,” 2014). For children, growing up in a happy home contributes to their mental, physical, educational and social well-being. Unfortunately, about 50 percent of married couples in the United States divorce. The rate is even higher for later marriages (“Marriage and Divorce,” 2014). The influence of the social institution (structural) differs from the individual influence (life choices) in divorce by the extent of perception of the reasons why divorce occurs (Amato and Previti, (2003). perspective of structural issues would include gender, social class and external pressures. Individual influences can be attributed to infidelity, drug and alcohol use, as well as physical and emotional abuse. Married individuals can grow and find new interests in their lives, it is up to each couple to reevaluate and mature as a team to find a mutual approach to growing old together and escaping divorce. can be attributed to external influences or internal influences Do we examine what others think we should do or how we feel Do people of my socio-economic class get married? and do they stay married or do they divorce and remarry often? The definition of marriage and its functions has always been universally understood by society as a permanent rapprochement between individuals for the purpose of procreation and socialization. , and family formation. These societal guidelines for who could participate in marriage have always been determined by who could fulfill these functions. Therefore, society...... middle of paper ......der, social class, life course and adjustment. Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved from http://www2.psychology.uiowa.edu/faculty/harvey/People's%20Reasons%20for%20Divorcing.pdfHarper, M. (2010). The relationship between individualistic attitudes and attitudes toward traditional marriage in contemporary American society. Theses in social work. Article 51. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.providence.edu/socialwrk_students/51Marriage and divorce. (2014). American Psychological Association. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/topics/divorce/McBride, J. (2011). Deciding to divorce using social exchange theory. Examiner.com. Retrieved from http://www.examiner.com/article/deciding-to-divorce-using-social-exchange-theory South, S. J., & Spitze, G. (1986). Determinants of divorce during married life. American Sociological Review, 51(4), 583-590.