78. Do Kids Cause Divorce?
Summary
Host Bapu Jenna explores how unexpected events, like having twins, impact marriage stability using 1980s census data. He finds that spontaneous twins increase divorce rates, particularly for twin girls and lower-income couples, often years later. Drawing on Gary Becker’s economic theory, Jenna explains that deviations from expectations—whether negative shocks like job loss or positive ones like weight-loss surgery—can destabilize marriages. Conversely, policies like Medicaid expansion may reduce "medical divorces" by alleviating financial stress.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: Charles Schwab and AdoptUSKids
Introduction: Do twins cause divorce?
Methodology: Using 1980 census data to isolate random twin births
Findings: Twins increase divorce rates, especially later in life
Gender and income effects: Twin girls and lower income impact
Ad break and transition to economic theory of marriage
Gary Becker's theory: Deviations from expectations drive divorce
Medical shocks: Weight loss surgery and marriage stability
Stabilizing factors: Medicaid expansion and 'medical divorces'
Show hiatus and new book announcement: Random Acts of Medicine
Credits, network info, and closing sponsor messages
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