According to research the divorce rate for first marriages and that for remarriages is

• A. lower for second marriages
• B. essentially the same
• C. 10 times higher for second marriages
• D. somewhat lower for first marriages

Answer: (D)

The fundamental idea is that divorce risk differs by marriage history. Research shows that remarriages tend to have a higher divorce rate than first marriages, so the divorce rate for first marriages is somewhat lower. This difference isn’t enormous in all studies, but it is consistently observed enough to describe first marriages as having a somewhat lower risk. Factors contributing to the higher risk in remarriages include the challenges of blending households, managing loyalties with ex-spouses, and the additional stressors that come with stepfamily dynamics and economic pressures. The other statements overstate or misstate the relationship (it’s not as high as ten times, it’s not the same, and second marriages aren’t the lowest), so the best summary is that first marriages have somewhat lower divorce rates.