In spite of a perception of a rising divorce rate held by many, statistics from the Utah Department of Health's vital records show that divorce rates have actually declined over the last 25 years.

Myths "kind of turned a corner in our country from where marriage is always wonderful to the other way," said Dean Busby a marriage, family and human development professor. "Couples overreact to normal difficulties."

Although there was a time when roughly half of all marriages failed in the US, the divorce rate has fallen again to about 40 percent, Busby said. However, he said, most people still have the 50 percent statistic in their heads.

"I think those myths make people a little too paranoid," he said.

However, Busby addressed different myths that have the potential to break a marriage. One of these is the myth that love is enough.

"So much of marriage is, in my view, commitment," Busby said. "Emotions come and go."

Busby said another potentially problematic myth is a completely spiritual approach to choosing a mate will work. He warned against "shortchanging the brain."

Marriage and family therapy professor Jeffry Larson has warned against some of these same myths in his book "Should We Stay Together?" He wrote mate selection should be a decision of the head as well as the heart.

Copyright Brigham Young University 17 Apr 2007