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Couples are more likely to divorce if they are religious and possess conservative beliefs according to a study set to be published in the American Journal of Sociology.

The study, which was undertaken by researchers from the universities of Texas and Iowa also set out to determine why divorce was more likely amongst such individuals, when they were more likely to espouse the benefits of marriage and view divorce as a sin, were more likely to divorce their partners.

In order to answer this, the researchers studied divorce statistics gathered from an earlier study focusing on religious congregations in both Alabama and Arkansas. Researchers found that married individuals in these states were more likely to marry and have children younger. Such choices are believed to restrict individual’s access to education which, in turn, depresses their wages. This then brings about financial pressures that can erode marriages and bring about a divorce.

The study also found other factors that could potentially contribute to the higher divorce rates found in deeply religious areas: people living in such places were more likely to become divorced even if they were not religious conservatives themselves.

For every 1% increase in the number of religious conservatives in a given county, the divorce rate increased by 0.02%. Researchers claimed that this correlation could be attributed to the culture of such areas, claiming that early marriage was likely to be encouraged, that pharmacies may not offer emergency contraception and that schools may not provide students with sexual education.

The researchers also added that there was also a clear link behind secularism and a higher divorce rate.