According to research, when couples take the more “traditional” approach to marriage and the women do all the housework, the marriages last longer.

Researchers in Norway found that when both a man and a woman contribute to the housework, the likelihood of divorce rises as opposed to the marriages and relationships in which the housework is left to the women. According to the study,entitled “Equality in the Home”, the divorce rate for the couples who did equal housework was approximately 50 percent higher than that of the more traditional couples who let the woman do it all.

Thomas Hansen, co-author of the study, says, “The more a man does in the home, the higher the divorce rate.”

Researchers were not able to find a clear cause-and-effect but they believe that maybe the reason could be “modern” attitudes.

Hansen went on to say it was all about values, adding,

“Modern couples are just that, both in the way they divide up the chores and in their perception of marriage [less sacred]. In these modern couples, women also have a high level of education and a well-paid job, which makes them less dependent on their spouse financially. They can manage much easier if they divorce.”

Researchers also point out that sharing equal responsibility for housework doesn’t necessarily increase  contentment.

– BlackBlueDog