Recent research from the University of Pennsylvania has identified a notable correlation between marital breakdown and households where women are the primary or significantly higher earner. The study found that couples with this income dynamic experience elevated separation rates relative to households with traditional earning hierarchies or balanced incomes.

The researchers attribute the pattern to underlying tensions between shifting economic realities and unchanged domestic responsibilities. The analysis suggests that economic role reversals create instability when household labour distribution remains unaltered, contributing to documented increases in divorce rates across the broader population.