According to new findings from the Emory University in Atlanta, the difference in age between you and your partner could play a crucial role in whether or not your relationship is long lasting.
The study of 3000 people found that the larger the age gap, the larger the risk of separation. Hardly surprising considering partners of vastly different ages would be at contrasting life stages, and probably have conflicting goals when it comes to career, family or lifestyle.
Interestingly, the research also found that less extreme age gaps also increased the likelihood of a couple’s relationship not going the distance.
Couples with a five year age gap were 18% more likely to divorce whereas this rose to 39% for a ten year age gap and a whopping 95% for a 20 year age gap.
So, what is the ideal age gap for a long lasting relationship? According to this study, the ideal age gap for couples was one year. Case in point: David and Victoria Beckham (aged 41 and 42 respectively), have been married 17 years.
Having said this, it is difficult to tell what extent age played a factor in the breakdown of the relationships in this study. As Hugo Mialon, one of the researchers behind the study, pointed out: "It could just be that the types of couples with those characteristics are the types of couples who are, on average, more likely to divorce for other reasons."
What do you think? Is age important in a relationship?
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