SIGNIFICANT SHORTS : Divorce `can be predicted', says professor

Marriages likely to end in divorce are predictable, a London conference was told.

Professor Howard Markman, of the University of Denver, in Colorado, said: "Conflict in relationships is inevitable. But we think if people learnt to manage it, the divorce rate could be reduced by 80 to 90 per cent." He told the meeting, organised by marriage charity One plus One, that couples whose parents had divorced and who had different religions were at risk, but those most likely to have a disastrous marriage were those with communication problems before they wed.

Professor Markman said, however, that a scheme called the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Programme was proving effective in reducing conflict.