There are of course many reasons Virginia couples decide to divorce. When people think about the reasons most commonly cited, it is doubtful that nagging is at the top of the list. The reality however is that nagging can be a big reason why couples ultimately decide to call it quits. Serious problems arise when couples end up fighting about nagging instead of the real issues that caused the nagging in the first place.

According to research conducted by co-director of the Center for Marital and Family Studies and professor of psychology at the University of Denver, couples who reported being unhappy five years into their marriages also reported around a 20 percent increase in communication that could be considered negative. The patterns associated with this communication are consistent with what most consider to be nagging. Along with this increase is a 12 percent decrease in communication described as positive.

As is the reason for many disagreements between men and women, one of the biggest issues with nagging is the way the different genders approach or fail to approach the matter. Generally, women are the ones who most often do the nagging. This is exacerbated when often men do not promptly respond. While this cycle of nagging is certainly something that couples can fix, there are of course those who will decide to divorce anyway.

Should a couple ultimately decide to divorce, depending on the circumstances, there are a variety of matters that may need to be addressed. In addition to the division of property, spousal support may need to be determined. If the marriage produced children, child custody and support needs to be figured out as well. Because these issues can be difficult to settle, it is usually a good idea to consult an experienced divorce attorney.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, "Meet the Marriage Killer," Elizabeth Bernstein, Jan. 25, 2012