Introduction: Divorce, legal process for ending a marriage, is rapidly on the rise globally. Although it is affected by a wide range of factors, some characteristics of the modern industrial world, such as individualism, women's participation in the workforce, the expansion of women's education, and the development of new technologies such as the Internet and social networks, have exacerbated it. Marriages often do not end suddenly and usually arise after a silent divorce. Silent divorce is the basis for divorce, and identifying it can help alleviate the social problem of divorce. Considering the rapid growth of divorce in Iran on the one hand and its harmful consequences on couples, children, families, and society on the other, the present study seeks to study silent divorce as the starting point of the collapse of marriage and family.
Method: This research was conducted using a qualitative methodology by employing the thematic analysis method. The participants in the study were 18 married men and women involved in silent divorce in Kerman city who had referred to counseling centers. Purposive sampling was employed to select the samples and an attempt was made to ensure maximum diversity. A semi-structured interview technique was utilized to collect data, and the interviews continued until theoretical saturation was achieved.
Findings: The results showed that 71 initial codes were obtained in the form of 19 sub-themes (inability and skill in making love, emotional interactions of couples, changing beliefs about married life, conflicts and unproductive interactions, religious beliefs, addiction to drugs and alcohol, sexual problems, desire for freedom and independence, marital infidelity, rebuilding a new life, emotional and behavioral incompatibility, inappropriate pattern of choosing a spouse, interference and disregard for the boundaries of married life, lack of skill and maturity in choosing a spouse, inability to solve problems and conflicts in life, lack of investment in the spouse, lack of investment in children, lack of marital relationship literacy, financial and economic concerns).
Conclusion: Divorce rates in the contemporary industrial world are increasing at an alarming rate, with detrimental consequences. A basic solution in this regard is to identify "silent divorce" as a primary cause. Based on the findings of this study, it seems that a range of factors contribute to the emergence of silent divorce. The study concludes that most of the causes of silent divorce are avoidable, and through the implementation of effective interventions, it is possible to work towards reducing divorce.