I don't think that age is the core of this issue, but it certainly contributes. I think that younger folk tend to rush into commitment far more quickly than older. My parents were together for six years before marrying; my wedding will be shortly after four years in my relationship.
From
Chicagoland Marriage Resource Center
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The average age of a person in America when they get married is now about 26 years old. In general, the older a couple is, the greater the chance that their marriage will go the distance. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 59% of first marriages between couples who are [25] years of age or younger end in divorce within the first 15 years, while only 35% of marriages between couples who get married at the age of 25 or older end in a divorce within that same time period. A few years makes a big difference.
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[Though, this could be attributable to a generation gap]
Quote:
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When it came to success at the 13-year mark, the tortoises won out. According to Ted Huston, the study's lead investigator, "The more boring and deliberate the courtship, the better the prospects for a long marriage, I'm afraid. People who had very intense, Hollywood-type romances at the beginning were likely to have a big drop-off later on, and this often changed their view of the other's character." Apparently, slow and steady wins the race.
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I also saw some statistics that basically said marrying before dating for at least a year yielded some much, much higher divorce rates than dating for a year or two, and waiting longer than 3 or 4 years would also yield higher divorce rates (though not as high as jumping into a marriage after only six months). I can't seem to find it though.
In any case, I think that since younger folk rush into marriage unprepared, they're more prone to divorce. If I had married after only one year, my marriage would be in trouble. My fiance and I didn't really have our first big fight until near the two-year mark. We've also had some serious conversations about children, and I think rushed relationships don't really consider that at all. Since children can really change the face of the marriage, I believe it's also a contributing factor.