{"paper_id":"02e9d47b-f16c-4e6d-ba96-3f7170ec8b4e","body_text":"Divorce trends in Hail, Saudi Arabia, and their socio-cultural drivers (2010 – 2020) | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Divorce trends in Hail, Saudi Arabia, and their socio-cultural drivers (2010 – 2020) Omar Saud, Mansour Ali Al-Maswari, Saleh Hammad A. Al Azmi This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8971505/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 11 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Divorce has emerged as a significant and ever-increasing social challenge in contemporary Saudi Arabia, particularly among newly married couples. This study examines the structural, familial, and cultural determinants of rising divorce rates in the Hail region, which ranks among the three highest in divorce rates, according to 2020 data from the Saudi General Authority for Statistics. The research makes two principal contributions to existing scholarship. First, theoretically, it employs R. M. Emerson’s Social Exchange Theory and Terry Eagleton’s concept of culture to critically analyze how shifting social practices, expectations, and cultural norms reshape marital stability. Second, methodologically, it adopts the divorce-to-marriage ratio (DMR) (2010–2020) rather than crude or general divorce rates, thereby providing a more accurate measure of the proportional increase in marital dissolution. By integrating quantitative precision with critical socio-cultural analysis, this mixed-methods approach offers both empirical clarity and theoretical depth, advancing current studies that often rely solely on descriptive statistics. The study concludes with evidence-based recommendations aimed at strengthening socially and emotionally sustainable marital relationships in Saudi Arabia, particularly in the Hail region. Divorce Saudi Family Hail region cultural challenges social change family breakdown Figures Figure 1 Introduction On January 18, 2026, the Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs issued a directive to unify the upcoming Friday sermons across the Kingdom, urging the facilitation of marriage and warning against the avoidance of this foundational social institution (Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, 2026). Like the resonant cries of a peacock signaling attention, the coordinated orations from mosques across Saudi Arabia sought to address a growing societal concern related to the delay in marriages and the rapid rise of divorce. In the Kingdom, divorce has increasingly emerged as a critical social phenomenon in the last few years, reflecting deep-seated transformations in family life amid swift socioeconomic and cultural changes. Recent national statistics reveal a sustained upward trend in divorce rates, with certain regions, particularly Hail, consistently among the highest. This pattern marks a striking departure from the historically low divorce rates characteristic of Saudi society, where marriages were traditionally reinforced by extended kinship networks, strong normative regulation, and limited social and economic alternatives, especially for women. While divorce is legally and religiously permissible in Islam, as in all regions, cultures, and societies, it has historically been regarded as an exceptional measure rather than a routine resolution of marital conflict. In contemporary Saudi Arabia, however, divorce increasingly functions as both an outcome of marital instability and a socially available response to tensions generated by shifting life patterns, evolving gender roles, and changing expectations of intimacy, authority, and responsibility within marriage. This transformation suggests that rising divorce rates cannot be adequately explained by individual moral failure or legal permissibility alone but must instead be situated within broader structural and socio-cultural processes. Notwithstanding, Saudi society has undergone accelerated modernization since the mid-twentieth century, driven by oil-based economic development, urbanization, expanded educational access, and integration into global cultural and media systems. These changes have altered family structures, facilitated the transition from extended to nuclear households, increased women’s educational attainment and labor force participation, and reshaped traditional gender hierarchies. Digital media and transnational cultural flows have further contributed to redefining marital expectations, emotional fulfillment, and conflict tolerance. Literature on divorce in Saudi Arabia identifies a constellation of contributing factors, including failure to fulfill marital responsibilities, misuse of authority, marital infidelity, incompatibility, parental interference, emotional disengagement, economic stress, and participation in non-conventional marital arrangements such as misyar marriages. Importantly, existing studies emphasize that divorce rarely results from a single cause; rather, it emerges from the cumulative interaction of multiple social, psychological, and cultural variables within a rapidly changing social context. Women’s empowerment, through education, employment, and legal awareness, has not directly caused divorce, but has significantly altered women’s capacity to exit unsustainable marriages, thereby reshaping patterns of marital dissolution. Despite the growing body of literature on divorce in Saudi Arabia, notable gaps remain. First, much of the existing research adopts either a national-level quantitative approach or a narrowly psychological or legal framework, often overlooking the localized socio-cultural dynamics that shape marital stability in specific regions. Second, limited attention has been paid to regions such as Hail, where divorce rates are disproportionately high despite strong adherence to traditional norms. Third, there could hardly exist studies integrating official statistical data with socio-cultural analysis to examine how modernization processes interact with regional cultural contexts to produce divergent divorce outcomes. This study addresses these gaps by examining divorce in the Hail region as a socio-cultural phenomenon embedded within broader processes of modernization, gender transformation, the flux of expatriation, and cultural negotiation. Drawing on official data from the Saudi General Authority for Statistics and the Ministry of Justice between the years 2010–2020, the study employs a mixed analytical approach that combines statistical trend analysis with socio-cultural interpretation to identify the structural and contextual drivers of marital dissolution. Rather than treating divorce as an individual failure, the study conceptualizes it as a socially patterned response to changing marital expectations and life conditions. The central argument advanced in this paper is that modernization in Saudi Arabia has simultaneously expanded women’s agency and intensified marital tensions, particularly in regions such as Hail, where traditional norms persist alongside rapid social change. This tension has contributed to elevated divorce rates by reshaping expectations of marriage, authority, and emotional fulfillment. The objectives of this study are threefold: (1) to analyze recent divorce trends in the Hail region using official statistical data; (2) to identify the key socio-cultural factors contributing to marital instability in the region; and (3) to assess the implications of these findings for social policy, family support systems, and broader debates on family transformation in Saudi Arabia. By offering a regionally grounded, data-driven analysis, this research contributes to the growing scholarship on family change in Gulf societies and provides evidence-based insights relevant to policymakers and social institutions. The study also aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 by addressing family stability as a central component of social development, cultural continuity, and sustainable modernization. Literature Review Like many societies experiencing rapid modernization, Saudi Arabia has undergone profound transformations across social, cultural, economic, and educational domains. Historically characterized by rural, tribal, and nomadic social structures, the Kingdom has evolved into a highly urbanized society, with accelerated change particularly evident following the launch of Vision 2030. These reforms have reshaped long-standing social norms and value systems, fostering more open and individual-oriented frameworks. Technological advancement, especially the widespread diffusion of digital communication and social media, has further intensified socio-cultural change, while state-led initiatives, including those promoted by the General Entertainment Authority, have altered patterns of leisure, public interaction, and daily life. Although these transformations have generated substantial social and economic opportunities, they have simultaneously introduced new structural and relational challenges. Among the most significant of these challenges is the growing strain on family stability, reflected in rising divorce rates. Al-Khatib ( 2025 ) argues that rapid modernization and socioeconomic transformation, initially driven by oil wealth and later reinforced through expanded education, women’s labor market participation, exposure to global media, and shifting value systems, have fundamentally altered traditional Saudi family structures and marital dynamics. These changes have increased women’s agency and expanded alternatives to unsatisfactory marriages, while also introducing new pressures, including mismatched gender expectations, emotional detachment, authority misuse, infidelity, and interference from extended family networks. Divorce, in this context, has emerged not as the result of a single factor but as a multidimensional phenomenon shaped by intersecting structural, cultural, and relational forces. Notably, Al-Khatib highlights the growing prevalence of what is often described as “quick divorce,” reflecting heightened marital vulnerability in contemporary Saudi society. From women’s perspectives in particular, divorce has become a more feasible and socially acceptable response to marital failure, revealing ongoing tensions between persistent patriarchal norms and emerging expectations of gender equality. Similarly, Al-Shammri and Al-Harbi (2021) observe that wide-ranging social, economic, and cultural transformations have disrupted traditional family structures and reconfigured value systems within Saudi society. These shifts have altered spousal roles and expectations, contributing to increased marital conflict and, ultimately, higher divorce rates. Divorce has thus become a central social concern across the Kingdom, with its incidence steadily increasing across regions. Observed evidence reinforces these observations. Alanzi and Alamri (2021) note that statistical indicators place Saudi Arabia among the societies experiencing a persistent annual rise in divorce rates. Official data from the General Authority for Statistics reveal particularly high rates in northern regions such as Al-Jawf, Hail, and the Northern Borders. As Alanzi and Alamri argue, divorce has increasingly become a primary mechanism through which couples respond to marital conflict, a reality reflected not only in court records but also in cultural and literary representations. Focusing on women’s agency, Alrebh and Al-Mabruk (2025) contend that Saudi women, especially married women, have gained greater confidence in managing their lives and are increasingly willing to exit marriages that do not meet their expectations. This trend aligns with broader regional patterns. Khuzaima Adil ( 2025 ) characterizes the sharp rise in divorce across Gulf societies as a clear indicator of deep social transformation in historically conservative contexts, marking a departure from norms that once rendered marital dissolution socially unthinkable. Expanding this regional perspective, Lari and Al-Thani identify three interrelated societal shifts driving rising divorce rates across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). First, transformations in gender roles, particularly women’s educational attainment, labor force participation, and economic independence, have altered marital power dynamics. With increased financial autonomy, women possess greater bargaining power within marriage and are more inclined to leave relationships characterized by abuse, inequality, or emotional dissatisfaction (Aldossari & Chaudhry, 2024 ). Second, social attitudes toward divorce have gradually shifted, especially in urban settings, where stigma has weakened, and separation is increasingly viewed as a legitimate response to marital dysfunction. This attitudinal change has been reinforced by demographic diversity, including large expatriate populations that introduce alternative cultural perspectives on marriage and family life. The third factor identified by Lari and Al-Thani concerns the impact of digital technology on marital fidelity and intimacy. The proliferation of social media platforms and dating applications has introduced new relational risks, facilitating emotional distance, digital infidelity, and unrealistic expectations. Within the broader GCC context, these developments coincide with a gradual shift away from rigid patriarchal norms toward more egalitarian gender relations. As Alrebh and Al-Mabruk (2025) note, changes in gender-power balances inevitably reshape family dynamics, often increasing marital instability during periods of social transition. Within this framework of women’s empowerment, Gharaibeh and Al Ali ( 2022 ) argue that while tribal traditions and deeply rooted cultural norms historically constrained women’s roles in GCC societies, globalization and modernization have substantially weakened these barriers. These forces have expanded women’s access to education, healthcare, and employment while facilitating greater engagement in public life (Al-Asfour et al. 2017 ). Importantly, this transformation has unfolded within an Islamic framework emphasizing balance and equity rather than exclusion, enabling women’s empowerment to coexist with religious and cultural values. Alsanea ( 2025 ) further emphasizes that changing gender relations, women’s growing financial independence, the declining influence of extended family networks, and the pervasive impact of digital media have collectively reshaped marital expectations and stability in Saudi Arabia. Since the introduction of Vision 2030, women have experienced significant reductions in legal and economic constraints, gaining greater autonomy through expanded employment opportunities and legal reforms on guardianship. As women’s social and economic power has increased, traditional male authority within the family has diminished, generating new forms of marital tension. In this context, divorce has become a viable outcome for marriages unable to adapt to evolving social norms. Recent socio-educational developments further illuminate these dynamics. Saudi women have increasingly prioritized higher education and labor market participation, often delaying marriage in favor of professional and personal development. This represents a clear departure from earlier norms that emphasized early marriage and domestic roles. According to the Saudi Bulletin of Gender Statistics (Ministry of Education, 2018), female enrollment in postgraduate education now rivals that of men, including among Saudis studying abroad. Women’s growing presence in academia and professional fields is similarly notable, with women constituting approximately 45% of faculty members nationwide. This expansion of women’s educational and professional roles has contributed to a structural transformation of the Saudi family, shifting from a male breadwinner model toward dual-income households. Official data from the General Authority for Statistics indicate that increases in women’s labor force participation since 2017 coincide with rising divorce rates. While this correlation does not imply causation, it underscores a structural association that merits deeper socio-cultural analysis. Research also highlights the influence of social media on marital stability. Saudi Arabia ranks among the highest global users of social media, with individuals averaging eight platforms per person (Radcliffe, 2021; Data Portal, 2022). By 2022, social media penetration exceeded 82% of the population, with internet access approaching universality. Such widespread engagement has reshaped social interaction, often fostering unrealistic expectations, facilitating online conflict, and introducing alternative relational networks that may strain marital bonds. Supporting this perspective, Alanazi ( 2021 ) examined married couples’ perceptions of excessive social media use in Saudi Arabia. Based on a survey of 1,226 married respondents, the study found that excessive engagement with digital platforms was widely perceived as detrimental to marital relationships, contributing to reduced quality time, heightened jealousy, increased conflict, and overall relational strain. Together, these findings suggest that rising divorce rates in Saudi Arabia are best understood not as isolated phenomena, but as outcomes of intersecting structural, cultural, technological, and gender-related transformations reshaping family life in the contemporary Kingdom. < Methodology Research design and data sources This study employs a quantitative, descriptive–analytical research design to examine divorce trends in the Hail region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) from a sociocultural perspective over the period 2010–2020. To ensure data reliability, credibility, and reproducibility, the analysis relies exclusively on officially published administrative statistics issued by Saudi governmental and GCC statistical authorities. Primary data were mainly collected from two principal sources. The first source consists of publicly available datasets published by the Saudi General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), particularly those released for the years 2016, 2019, and 2020, which provide regionally disaggregated data on marriage and divorce across KSA. The second source comprises the annual statistical reports issued by the Saudi Ministry of Justice covering the Hijri years 1431–1439 AH, corresponding to the Gregorian period 2010–2018. These Ministry of Justice reports provide detailed records of all officially registered marriage and divorce cases in Saudi Arabia, disaggregated by region, administrative area, court jurisdiction, nationality (Saudi and non-Saudi residents), and total case numbers. To enhance the validity and consistency of the data, the extracted figures were cross-verified with published datasets from the Gulf Statistics Authority, which serves as a regional reference body for official demographic and social statistics. Only concordant data were retained for analysis. The focus of the study is, thus, limited to the Hail region, for which complete and comparable annual data were available across the study period. Secondary sources were used to contextualize the quantitative findings and support the sociocultural interpretation of divorce trends. These sources include recent peer-reviewed journal articles, academic books, policy reports, and recorded scholarly seminars addressing marriage and divorce in Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf region. The theoretical framework is informed primarily by Social Exchange Theory, alongside complementary cultural and family-structure theories relevant to Saudi society. Data analysis procedures The primary analytical indicator used in this study is the Divorce-to-Marriage Ratio (DMR), a standard demographic measure that assesses the number of divorces in a given year relative to the number of marriages registered in the same year. The ratio is calculated using the formula (DMR = (D ÷ M) × 100), where D represents the total number of divorces and M represents the total number of marriages recorded in a given year, and Excel is the software used to perform the calculations. This indicator was applied to achieve three analytical objectives. First, it was used to calculate the share of the Hail region in the total number of marriages registered nationally in KSA for each year between 2010 and 2020. Second, it was used to calculate the share of the Hail region in the total number of divorces recorded nationwide during the same period. Third, it was employed to compute the annual Divorce-to-Marriage Ratio for the Hail region, allowing for longitudinal comparison and trend analysis over time. In addition to annual calculations, the study computes the average marriage rate and average divorce rate for the Hail region across the entire study period (2010–2020) to provide a consolidated regional profile. Trend analysis techniques were used to identify temporal changes in divorce-to-marriage ratios, while sociocultural interpretation was conducted through thematic engagement with the existing literature. Tables and graphical representations were used to summarize and visualize key trends, facilitating comparative analysis and improving the clarity of empirical findings. Limitations Several limitations should be acknowledged. The most significant constraint relates to the availability of detailed annual data from the Ministry of Justice for selected years, particularly 1437 AH and 1440 AH, for which full disaggregated datasets were not publicly accessible. These gaps were addressed by relying on summary datasets published by GASTAT and corroborated with credible statistical reports on marriage and divorce trends issued by the Almawaddah Society for Family Development for the period 2015–2019. Due to data availability and access constraints, the analysis is restricted to the Hail region for the period 2010–2020, which represents the most complete and verifiable dataset obtainable across all official sources. While extending the analysis to include data up to 2025 would enhance the study’s contemporaneity, such data have not yet been fully released by GASTAT or the Gulf Statistics Authority, limiting temporal coverage. The study focuses primarily on sociocultural factors influencing marriage and divorce patterns in Saudi Arabia. Other relevant dimensions, including legal reforms, economic conditions, psychological factors, and religious considerations, fall outside the scope of the present analysis. Incorporating these factors in future research would allow for a more comprehensive and multidimensional assessment of marital dynamics in KSA. Research Results and Findings The analysis of annual divorce-to-marriage ratios (DMR) in Saudi Arabia over the period 2010–2020 reveals a sustained and pronounced upward trajectory in marital dissolution relative to marriage formation upward. In 2010, divorces constituted 21.79% of registered marriages (31,072 divorces out of 142,607 marriages), a level that remained relatively stable through 2012, fluctuating between 21.26% and 21.52%. From 2013 onward, however, the ratio increased markedly, reaching 24.29% in 2013 and accelerating steadily to 27.84% in 2014 and 29.50% in 2015. This upward trend became more pronounced in the latter half of the decade, with divorce-to-marriage ratios rising to 33.95% in 2016, 36.60% in 2017, and peaking at 38.73% in 2018. Although a slight decline was observed in 2019 (37.07%), the ratio rebounded in 2020 to 38.37%, despite broader social and institutional disruptions during that year due to the COVID 19 pandemic lockdown. When averaged across the eleven years, the simple arithmetic mean of the annual ratios equals 30.08%, indicating that, on average, approximately three out of every ten marriages registered annually during the decade were accompanied by a corresponding divorce registration in the same year. This pattern reflects a clear structural shift from relatively moderate divorce incidence in the early 2010s toward substantially higher levels by the late 2010s, underscoring a significant transformation in marital stability within the Saudi social context. Table 1 summarizes national marriage and divorce trends in Saudi Arabia, regional marriage and divorce ratios for the Hail region, and the Hail region’s divorce-to-marriage ratio relative to total marriages over the period 2010–2020 on both the national and regional levels. Marriage ratio (2010–2020) Divorce ratio (2010–2020) Year Hail region KSA Share of the Hail region in total marriages in KSA Hail region KSA DMR in Saudi Arabia Share of the Hail region in total divorces in Saudi Arabia DMR in the Hail region 2010 4,610 142,607 3.23% 886 31,072 21.79% 2.85% 19.22% 2011 4,758 162,880 2.92% 813 34,622 21.26% 2.35% 17.09% 2012 4,919 160,271 3.07% 861 34,490 21.52% 2.50% 17.50% 2013 3,792 149,249 2.54% 1,328 36,248 24.29% 3.66% 35.02% 2014 4,553 161,067 2.83% 1,128 44,839 27.84% 2.52% 24.80% 2015 5,058 157,178 3.22% 1,185 46,373 29.50% 2.56% 23.10% 2016 4,763 157,870 3.02% 1,543 53,604 33.95% 2.88% 33.58% 2017 4,639 157,025 2.95% 1,558 57,475 36.60% 2.71% 33.58% 2018 4,122 149,862 2.75% 1,665 58,048 38.73% 2.87% 40.39% 2019 3,665 137,918 2.66 1,612 51,125 37.07% 3.15% 43.98% 2020 4,905 150,117 3.27 1,799 57,595 38.37% 3.12% 36.68% Average 4525 153 276 2.95% 1307 45,953 30.08% 2.83% 29.54% Regarding Hail region, the study on marriage share and rate in Hail region highlights that Hail accounted for between 2.54% (in 2013) and 3.27% (in 2020) of total marriages in Saudi Arabia, with an overall average share of 2.95% during the study period. The highest marriage share was recorded in 2015, followed by 2012, 2020, and 2011, indicating intermittent growth rather than a consistent upward trend. In contrast, the lowest marriage shares were observed in 2013 (2.54%), 2019 (2.66%), and 2018 (2.75%), marking these years as the weakest in terms of marriage formation over the decade. Table 2 summarizes national marriage trends in Saudi Arabia, regional marriage ratios for the Hail region, and the Hail region’s marriage ratio relative to total marriages over the period 2010–2020. Year Marriage ratio (2010–2020) Hail region Saudi Arabia Marriage share of the Hail region in total marriages in Saudi Arabia 2010 4,610 142,607 3.23% 2011 4,758 162,880 2.92% 2012 4,919 160,271 3.07% 2013 3,792 149,249 2.54% 2014 4,553 161,067 2.83% 2015 5,058 157,178 3.22% 2016 4,763 157,870 3.02% 2017 4,639 157,025 2.95% 2018 4,122 149,862 2.75% 2019 3,665 137,918 2.66% 2020 4,905 150,117 3.27% Average 4,525 153,276 2.95% With respect to divorce, Hail’s contribution to the national divorce total ranged from 2.35% to 3.66%, with the lowest and highest shares recorded in 2013 and 2011, respectively. Notably, divorce rates in the region exhibited a pronounced increase during 2019 and 2020, signaling a recent acceleration in marital dissolution relative to earlier years. At the regional level, the divorce-to-marriage ratio in Hail reached its highest levels in the final three years of the period under review, amounting to 40.39% in 2018, 43.98% in 2019, and 36.68% in 2020, with a three-year average of 40.35%. These figures represent a substantial increase compared to the early years of the decade, when the ratio stood at 17.09% in 2011, 17.50% in 2012, and 19.22% in 2010, the lowest levels observed during the study period. This sharp rise underscores a significant structural shift in marital stability in the Hail region in recent years, coinciding with persistently low marriage rates, except for 2020, which recorded the second-highest marriage share since 2012. Table 3 summarizes national divorce trends in Saudi Arabia, regional divorce ratios for the Hail region, and the Hail region’s divorce-to-marriage ratio relative in the Hail region over the period 2010–2020, as follows: Years Divorce ratio (2010–2020) Hail region KSA Divorce share of the Hail region in total divorces in Saudi Arabia DMR% in the Hail region 2010 886 31,072 2.85% 19.22% 2011 813 34,622 2.35% 17.09% 2012 861 34,490 2.50% 17.50% 2013 1,328 36,248 3.66% 35.02% 2014 1,128 44,839 2.52% 24.80% 2015 1,185 46,373 2.56% 23.10% 2016 1,543 53,604 2.88% 32.39% 2017 1,558 57,475 2.71% 33.58% 2018 1,665 58,048 2.87% 40.39% 2019 1,612 51,125 3.15% 43.98% 2020 1,799 57,595 3.12% 36.68% Average 1,307 45,953 2.83% 29.54% Overall, the average divorce-to-marriage ratio in Hail between 2010 and 2020 was 29.54%, with an average of approximately 1,307 divorces annually, compared to an average of 4,525 marriages per year over the same period. These findings point to a widening imbalance between marriage formation and marital dissolution in the region, particularly in the latter half of the decade. Discussion and Analysis The findings of this study reveal a sustained and structurally significant increase in divorce rates across Saudi Arabia, with particularly elevated levels observed in the Hail region during the period 2010–2020. National data from the Saudi General Authority for Statistics indicate that the general divorce rates rose sharply in the latter half of the decade, culminating in a 12.7 percent increase between 2019 and 2020 alone, when 57,595 divorce certificates were issued nationwide and the national divorce rate reached 2.18. Regionally, Hail ranked among the highest in the Kingdom, recording a general divorce rate of 3.21 in 2020, exceeded only by Al-Jouf (3.39) and the Northern Borders (3.23). This positioning is analytically significant given Hail’s smaller population size and its historically conservative social profile, suggesting that elevated divorce general rates, relatively close to the divorce-to-marriage rate in this study, are not confined to highly urbanized or economically diversified regions. These regional patterns are consistent with the longitudinal trends identified through the Divorce-to-Marriage Ratio (DMR) employed in this study. The steady rise in the DMR from approximately 21–22 percent in the early 2010s to nearly 38 percent by the end of the decade confirms that marital dissolution has accelerated relative to marriage formation. The convergence of national and regional indicators reinforces the robustness of the methodological approach and supports the study’s objective of situating Hail within broader national transformations rather than treating it as a statistical outlier. A central explanatory dimension emerging from the analysis concerns the reconfiguration of gender roles and economic participation under the Kingdom’s modernization trajectory. Labor market statistics indicate that women constituted approximately 35 percent of employed Saudis in the first quarter of 2021, compared with roughly 20 percent in 2018 (Saudi GAST, 2021). This shift reflects structural reforms under Vision 2030 and represents a decisive departure from the traditional male-breadwinner model that historically structured marital relations in Saudi society. As women’s access to employment, education, and institutional protections has expanded, marriage has become less indispensable as a source of economic security and social legitimacy. The findings suggest that this transformation has lowered structural barriers to marital exit, particularly for women, thereby contributing to higher divorce rates without necessarily indicating increased familial instability in normative terms. Digital transformation further intensifies these dynamics. Saudi Arabia exhibits exceptionally high levels of social media engagement, with users maintaining an average of approximately eight social media accounts per individual. Extensive exposure to digital platforms facilitates continuous comparison with alternative lifestyles and relationship models, reshaping expectations surrounding intimacy, autonomy, and marital satisfaction. Social media, unlike TV, introduce unrestricted set of choices for unrestricted variety of choices, interests and models (Gerbner, 1998 . P. 180). Within this context, prior studies have associated high digital engagement with emotional distance, diminished communication, and increased susceptibility to emotional or virtual infidelity. In socially transitional regions such as Hail, where conservative norms coexist with rapid digital exposure, these dynamics amplify relational strain by weakening traditional mechanisms of marital regulation while simultaneously elevating individual expectations. Demographic composition also plays a contributory role. Expatriates constitute over 45% of Saudi Arabia’s total population (General Authority for Statistics [GASTAT], 2024). By mid-2024, the Kingdom’s population exceeded 35 million, with Saudi citizens numbering approximately 19.6 million and non-Saudi residents reaching about 15.7 million. Notably, non-Saudis accounted for 75.6% of total population growth during this period. Originating from diverse cultural contexts in which divorce often carries less social stigma, expatriate populations contribute to increasingly pluralistic social environments, particularly in urban centers, where divorce is more normalized and supported through both formal and informal networks, including online communities. Khuzami Adil notes that the presence of expatriate communities has influenced local perceptions of divorce by normalizing it as an acceptable response to marital conflict. This process of cultural diffusion does not imply direct imitation but suggests gradual shifts in normative boundaries, particularly in regions experiencing social and economic transition. Legal reform constitutes an additional, though not solely determinative, factor in the observed trends. The Saudi Ministry of Justice introduced the Personal Status Law, which enhances women’s rights and includes provisions specifically addressing their legal protections (The Saudi Ministry of Justice, 2023 ). These reforms have not only expanded women’s access to the labor market but also strengthened their legal standing within family relations. Additional measures, such as governmental stipends and subsidies for divorced women, further support their economic independence and social security, reinforcing the broader structural shifts impacting marital stability. Alboraie and Hashem ( 2025 ) argue, however, that persistently high divorce rates in the Hail region are rooted in entrenched socio-cultural practices, particularly forced or socially compelled marriages and parental interference. Prior to the enactment of the Personal Status Law in 2021 (effective June 18, 2022), divorce cases were adjudicated exclusively by Sharia courts, where judicial discretion in selecting among juristic opinions often produced inconsistent outcomes and, in some cases, reinforced harmful social practices (Alboraie & Hashem, 2025 , pp. 1530–1533). Yet, while the unification of personal status legislation represents a significant institutional intervention aimed at standardizing rulings and enhancing legal clarity, official statistics indicate that divorce rates continued to rise following the law’s implementation. Rather than signaling policy failure, the persistence of high divorce rates reflects the continued reconfiguration of marital expectations amid rapid modernization. Changes in family structure further contextualize these findings. According to the Saudi Census 2022 and Saudi Family Statistics Report (2024), 74.9 percent of households in the Hail region reside in apartment-based owned housing, the highest proportion nationally (GASTAT, 2024, p. 10). This shift toward nuclear family living arrangements has increased couple autonomy while simultaneously weakening extended family networks that traditionally mediated marital conflict. Despite relatively high levels of residential stability, divorce rates in Hail rose sharply between 2018 and 2020, nearly doubling compared to the period 2010–2012. This pattern suggests that homeownership and economic stability do not necessarily translate into marital resilience when social support structures and normative expectations are transforming. A further challenge contributing to rising divorce rates lies in the largely unfiltered adoption of external cultural models and lifestyles, particularly Western social norms, often embraced under the banner of cultural openness and modernization. While cultural exchange is not inherently destabilizing, its uncritical internalization may generate unintended social consequences, especially when newly adopted values remain misaligned with prevailing familial and moral frameworks. As Eagleton cautions, “Cultural truths, whether high art or the traditions of a people—are sometimes sacred ones, to be protected and revered” (Eagleton, 2000 , p. 8). This observation is particularly salient in societies undergoing rapid social transformation, where inherited cultural structures are challenged by globalized modes of life without sufficient processes of contextual adaptation. Within Saudi Arabia, public discourse among social elites and specialists, frequently articulated in television programs, public seminars, and expert forums, has increasingly addressed the influence of modern communication technologies and digital platforms on marital stability. These discussions consistently point to phenomena such as constant social comparison facilitated by social media, emotional disengagement, suspicions fueled by digital surveillance, and perceived or actual infidelity. Such dynamics often disrupt marital routines, undermine trust, and intensify conflict, particularly in the absence of effective conflict-resolution mechanisms (Al-Hawas, 2022). Empirical and qualitative accounts further identify a constellation of interrelated social stressors associated with marital dissolution, including domestic violence and coercive control, excessive jealousy leading to suspicion and arbitrary interpretations of behavior, parental dominance in spouse selection without meaningful consent of the young man or woman, significant age disparities between spouses, and persistent interference or conflict between extended families (Al-Qunaibit, 2022). Additionally, mismatched temperaments and incompatible personalities, frequently overlooked during traditional matchmaking processes, emerge as recurring factors in marital breakdown. Statistical evidence confirms that Saudi society remains among those experiencing sustained year-on-year increases in divorce rates, reflecting the cumulative effect of these pressures. Notably, the persistently high and rapidly increasing divorce rates observed in Saudi Arabia, of which the Hail region is no exception, reflect a recent structural lag between accelerated material modernization and comparatively slower cultural and normative adaptation. Modernization, as Hartmut Esser emphasizes, entails fundamental transformations in a society’s social structure, particularly in patterns of social integration and individual decision-making (Esser, 1993). In the Saudi context, these transformations are evident in the gradual shift from collective, family-centered norms toward more individualized life choices, where personal satisfaction and self-realization increasingly take precedence over traditional marital obligations. This transition has been further intensified by widespread digital media exposure, which has expanded individual autonomy and reshaped expectations surrounding intimate relationships. Marriage is increasingly perceived not as a sacred bond, fixed, lifelong institution, but as a negotiable and revisable arrangement. As Beck and Beck-Gernsheim (2002) argue, within individualized societies, marriage becomes a “risk biography,” in which dissolution is socially normalized once the relationship is perceived to hinder personal growth or self-fulfillment. Such dynamics resonate strongly with emerging marital patterns in Saudi society, where rising divorce rates coexist with changing attitudes toward commitment and personal agency. This trend appears paradoxical when juxtaposed with the Hail region and, broadly, Saudi Arabia’s high levels of religiosity. However, it can be partially explained through processes of indirect or partial secularization mediated by technology, changing gender roles, and evolving social expectations. Berger (1967) notes that secularization weakens traditional religious constraints on divorce, thereby increasing its social acceptability even within religious societies. In the Saudi case, this does not imply a decline in religious belief per se, but rather a reconfiguration of how religious norms interact with modern lifestyles, legal frameworks, and individual aspirations. From another theoretical standpoint, Eagleton underscores that “culture requires certain social conditions; and since these conditions may involve the state, it can have a political dimension too” (Eagleton, 2000 , p. 15). This insight highlights the structural dimension of cultural change, suggesting that shifts in marital behavior cannot be divorced from broader institutional, economic, and regulatory contexts. In a similar vein, Turki Al-Hamad argues that culture constitutes “a set of standards that shape the system of beliefs and behaviors within a particular society or community, determining individuals’ and groups’ perceptions of themselves, others, and the world around them, and consequently influencing their behavior” (Al-Hamad, 1999 ). Within this framework, these dynamics help explain why divorce rates continue to rise despite the enduring cultural and religious significance of marriage in Saudi Arabia. Accordingly, the rising divorce phenomenon should be understood not merely as a private or individual failure, but as a manifestation of deeper cultural reconfigurations unfolding under conditions of globalization and accelerated social change. In this respect, rising divorce rates function as a sociological indicator of profound social transition within Saudi society, particularly in regions such as Hail, where rapid modernization intersects most visibly with inherited cultural norms. These patterns are further effectively illuminated through Emerson’s power-dependence theory. Emerson conceptualizes social relations as structured by asymmetrical dependencies, whereby an actor’s dependence on another is proportional to their investment in goals mediated by that relationship and inversely proportional to the availability of alternative means of goal attainment (Emerson, 1976 ). Power, in turn, derives from unequal dependence. Applied to the Saudi context, and particularly to Hail, the expansion of women’s access to employment, legal protection, and social networks has reduced dependence on marriage as the primary conduit for economic security and social status. In 2020, Hail recorded approximately 4,686 marriages and 1,797 divorces, reflecting this recalibration of marital power relations. As alternative sources of gratification become available outside the marital relationship (Emerson, 1976 , p. 344), individuals, especially women, gain greater agency to reassess marital satisfaction and exercise exit options. Therefore, when taken together, the findings indicate that the rising divorce rates observed in Hail, and across Saudi Arabia more broadly, are best understood as the cumulative outcome of intersecting economic, cultural, legal, and structural transformations rooted in rapid material modernization and a concurrent lag in cultural and normative adaptation, rather than as a singular moral, religious, or institutional breakdown. By integrating longitudinal official statistics with a theoretically informed framework attentive to processes of individualization and partial secularization, this study fulfills its central objective of situating quantitative divorce trends within broader patterns of socio-cultural change. The analysis further demonstrates that effective policy responses must move beyond formal legal regulation to incorporate family counseling initiatives, digital awareness programs, and culturally grounded social support mechanisms that address the evolving nature of marital relations in contemporary Saudi society. Conclusion This study demonstrates that the rising divorce rates in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including the Hail region, are best understood as the result of intersecting socio-cultural, economic, and structural transformations rather than because of legal permissibility or individual moral failure alone. Divorce has increasingly emerged not only as a response to marital instability but also as a socially legitimized solution to tensions generated by rapid modernization, shifting value systems, and evolving interpretations of marriage and family life. The findings reveal a shift toward a more individualized and transactional model, especially among younger generations, where marital continuity hinges on perceived emotional, material, and personal gains, in contrast to the traditional Saudi model, in which marriage was a sacred institution rooted in collective responsibility, interdependence, and long-term commitment. This transformation reflects broader processes of modernization, globalization, women’s growing educational and labor-market participation, and exposure to transnational cultural norms, all of which have altered expectations of spousal roles, authority, and tolerance for marital conflict. It also reflects the Emerson’s idea, where costs and rewards are being recalibrated, highlighted in his social exchange theory. Digital media and global cultural flows have amplified these effects. Social media fosters comparison, consumption-oriented lifestyles, and individualized notions of fulfillment, framing marriage as a negotiable partnership rather than a near-sacred, lifelong bond, and normalizing divorce as a rational response to unmet expectations. These dynamics lower the social threshold for marital dissolution, particularly where traditional mechanisms of familial mediation have weakened amid the expansion of nuclear households. The analysis underscores that divorce should be examined not as an isolated outcome but in relation to the socio-cultural conditions that precipitate it. Materialization of intimate relations, erosion of contentment, weakened intra-familial conflict-management, and evolving gender roles contribute decisively to marital instability. In Hail, where cultural conservatism intersects with accelerated social change, these tensions manifest as a structural lag between rapid material modernization and slower normative adaptation, directly affecting marital durability. Addressing rising divorce rates requires multi-level, preventive strategies that extend beyond legal standardization or therapeutic interventions. While reforms such as the unification of judicial procedures under the Personal Status Law represent significant institutional progress, they alone cannot counteract broader socio-cultural dynamics. Stabilizing marriages necessitates coordinated engagement across education, religious institutions, media, and public policy to re-center marriage as a family-forming institution oriented toward shared responsibility, child-rearing, and social continuity. Initiatives such as the coordinated Friday sermons across the Kingdom in January 2026 exemplify institutional acknowledgment of marriage and divorce as collective societal concerns. In a nutshell, the rising divorce rates in Hail, as across Saudi Arabia, reflect broader processes of social transformation, gender-role renegotiation, and cultural diffusion, rather than moral or legal failure. Sustainable family life does not eliminate conflict but prioritizes dialogue, resilience, and shared responsibility. Divorce should be understood as a necessary but limited last resort, rather than a default outcome. Embedding socio-cultural change within culturally grounded frameworks is essential for maintaining family stability and social cohesion amid ongoing modernization. Declarations Corresponding Author Mansour Al-Maswari [email protected] Author Contribution Methodology - Saleh, Mansour, and Omar, Introduction & literature Review, conclusion – Mansour &Saleh, Analysis – Mansour, Resources-Omar, Writing–Original Draft - Mansour, Writing - Review& Editing – Saleh & Omar, Supervision - Omar, Project administration - Mansour & Saleh, Funding acquisition –Saleh, Mansour, & Omar. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. Acknowledgement: This research has been funded by the Scientific Research Deanship at the University of Ha’il, Saudi Arabia, through project number < < RCP-25 057 >> Clinical trial number : Not applicable. Ethics, Consent to Participate, and Consent to Publish declarations : Not applicable. Data Availability The datasets analyzed during the current study are publicly available from the General Authority for Statistics and the Ministry of Justice through their official online portals [https://www.stats.gov.sa](https:/www.stats.gov.sa) and [https://www.moj.gov.sa](https:/www.moj.gov.sa) References Adil K. When tradition meets modernity: Why divorce is on the rise in the Gulf. Northwestern University; 2025. Alanazi N. Married couples’ perception of the excessive use of social media and its impact on marital problems in Saudi Arabia. J Hum Social Sci. 2021;18(1A):61–94. https://doi.org/10.36394/jhss/18/1A/15 . Al-Asfour A, Tlaiss HA, Khan SA, Rajasekar J. Saudi women’s work challenges and barriers to career advancement. Career Dev Int. 2017;22(2):184–99. https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-11-2016-0200 . Alboraie AS, Hashem NAM. Legislative and social measures to reduce divorce rates in Hail, Saudi Arabia: An Islamic and legal study. TPM. 2025;32(S4):1530–3. https://www.tpmap.org/ . Aldossari M, Chaudhry S. Gendered precarity in Saudi Arabia: Examining state policies and patriarchal culture in the labor market. Gend Work Organ. 2024;31(6):2698–716. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.13119 . Al-Hamad T. Al-thaqāfah al-ʿArabiyyah fī ʿaṣr al-ʿawlamah [Arabic culture in the age of globalization]. Al-Saqi; 1999. Al-Hawas J. (2022, September). What is the secret behind the increase in divorce cases in Saudi society? Divorce trends and social dynamics in Saudi Arabia [Television program]. Ya Hala. Rotana Channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTrz26y9SxU Al-Khatib SAA. Al-taghyīrāt al-ijtimāʿiyyah wa-atharuhā ʿalā irtifāʿ muʿaddalāt al-ṭalāq fī al-mamlakah min wijhat naẓar al-marʾah al-saʿūdiyyah [Social changes and their impact on rising divorce rates in the Kingdom from the perspective of Saudi women]. J King Abdulaziz University: Arts Humanit. 2025;17(1):160. Al-Mawaddah Family Development Association. (2019). Report on marriage and divorce rates in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (2015–2019): The family from formation to empowerment (p. 12). https:// Al-Menqash SARS. (2025). The social dimensions associated with divorce in newly formed families: An applied study of a sample of divorced women in Riyadh (Issue 26, p. 85). J Humanit Univ Hail, 1. Al-Qunaibit N. (2022, October). Because of imitating celebrities: A shocking study—One divorce every 10 minutes in the Kingdom [Television program]. Ya Hala. Rotana Channel. https://www.youtTVube.com/watch?v=OluMK8iH_64 Alrebh A, Al-Mabuk A. Neo-gender balancing in Saudi Arabia: Divorce under social exchange theory. In: Rahman MM, Al-Ghanim K, Hossain Z, Umar H, editors. Handbook of families in the Arab Gulf States. Volume 163. Springer; 2025. p. 7. 4. Alsanea F. The role of social and economic changes in increasing cases of divorce between Saudi spouses. LEX Localis – J Local Self-Government. 2025;23(S5):2547. DataReportal. (2022). Digital 2022: Saudi Arabia . https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2022-saudi-arabia Eagleton T. The idea of culture. Wiley-Blackwell; 2000. p. 8. Emerson RM. Social exchange theory. Ann Rev Sociol. 1976;2:335–62. General Authority for Statistics. (2020). Marriage and divorce statistics 2020 (p. 1). https://www.stats.gov.sa General Authority for Statistics. (2024). ICT access and usage survey for households and individuals 2022 . https://www.stats.gov.sa General Authority for Statistics. (2024). Population estimates publication 2024 . Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. https://www.stats.gov.sa General Authority for Statistics. (2024). Saudi family statistics report 2024 (p. 10). https://www.stats.gov.sa Gerbner G. Cultivation analysis: An overview. Mass communication Soc. 1998;1(3–4):175–94. Gharaibeh FA, Al Ali MM. (2022). The voices of the divorced: Reasons for early divorce among Emiratis in Abu Dhabi. J Int Women’s Stud, 24 (5), Article 23, 2. https://vc.bridgew.edu/jiws/vol24/iss5/23 Gulf Cooperation Council Statistical Center. (2016). Marriage and divorce statistics in the GCC countries (2010–2015) (Issue 2, pp. 17–68). https://gccstat.org/en/statistic/publications/marriage-and-divorce Gulf Cooperation Council Statistical Center. (2019). Marriage and divorce statistics in the GCC countries (2016) (Issue 4, pp. 39–40). https://gccstat.org/en/statistic/publications/marriage-and-divorce Gulf Cooperation Council Statistical Center. (2022). Summary of marriage and divorce statistics in the GCC countries, 2021 . Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. https://www.gccstat.org/en/statistic/publications/marriage-and-divorce Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance. (2026, January 18). Minister of Islamic Affairs directs the unification of the upcoming Friday sermon to encourage facilitating marriage and warn against reluctance toward it . https://www.moia.gov.sa/MediaCenter/News/Pages/29071447_1.aspx Ministry of Justice. (2011). Annual statistical report (1431 H, p. 224, 229). https://www.moj.gov.sa Ministry of Justice. (2012). Annual statistical report (1432 H, p. 243, 251). https://www.moj.gov.sa Ministry of Justice. (2013). Annual statistical report (1433 H, p. 224, 229). https://www.moj.gov.sa Ministry of Justice. (2014). Annual statistical report (1434 H, p. 182, 199). https://www.moj.gov.sa Ministry of Justice. (2015). Annual statistical report (1435 H, pp. 181–187). https://www.moj.gov.sa Ministry of Justice. (2016). Annual statistical report (1436 H, pp. 5–6, 10–11, 40, 46). https://www.moj.gov.sa Ministry of Justice. Women’s rights in Saudi laws. Ministry of Justice; 2023. pp. 163–4. Ministry of Justice. (2022, September 1). Saudi Personal Status Law enhances transparency and protects human rights. https://www.moj.gov.sa/English/MediaCenter/news/Pages/NewsDetails.aspx?itemId=858 Radcliffe D. (2021, April 5). Social media in the Middle East: Five things you need to know. International Journalists’ Network (IJNet) . https://ijnet.org/en/story/social-media-middle-east-5-things-you-need-know Sharaan Y, Al-Harbi NH. Divorce in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Trends, characteristics, and geographic variation. J Cent Geographical Cartographic Res. 2021;31:312. Statistical Analysis and Decision Support Center. (2018). Saudi women: The partner of success (p. 19). Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 22 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 13 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 04 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 04 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 02 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 01 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 01 Apr, 2026 Editor invited by journal 24 Mar, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 22 Mar, 2026 First submitted to journal 22 Mar, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {\"props\":{\"pageProps\":{\"initialData\":{\"identity\":\"rs-8971505\",\"acceptedTermsAndConditions\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":false,\"archivedVersions\":[],\"articleType\":\"Research Article\",\"associatedPublications\":[],\"authors\":[{\"id\":617653430,\"identity\":\"89858f1a-4a7d-4d75-9689-090991b57ac5\",\"order_by\":0,\"name\":\"Omar Saud\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"University of Ha’il\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Omar\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Saud\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":617653431,\"identity\":\"7fe070a0-e50d-49e0-8ca8-d5e15920618a\",\"order_by\":1,\"name\":\"Mansour Ali Al-Maswari\",\"email\":\"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA5UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDADfmbGhgMfGBgSiNci2d588OEMkrQYnDmWbMxDjBbd9rOHP3xsu5fYcCPHTNq2zS6Pn72B8cPHHNxazM7kpUnObCtObJwB1JLbllws2XOAWXLmNjxaDuSYMfO2JSQ2S4C1MCduuJHAxsyLT8v5N8afQVraQFos2+qJ0HIjx0AapKWHB+h9xrbDxGh5YyY541yC8Qx2YCD3nDueOLPnYDN+v5zPMf7woSxBdv9hYFT+KKtO7Afq/fARjxYYcGwAkYxsYLKBsHogsIdQf4hSPApGwSgYBSMMAAAKV1lxvgjHvAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"Amran University\",\"correspondingAuthor\":true,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Mansour\",\"middleName\":\"Ali\",\"lastName\":\"Al-Maswari\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":617653432,\"identity\":\"3285ed97-8d02-4420-b793-e4c17270b97b\",\"order_by\":2,\"name\":\"Saleh Hammad A. Al Azmi\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"University of Ha’il\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Saleh\",\"middleName\":\"Hammad A. Al\",\"lastName\":\"Azmi\",\"suffix\":\"\"}],\"badges\":[],\"createdAt\":\"2026-02-25 22:23:15\",\"currentVersionCode\":1,\"declarations\":\"\",\"doi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8971505/v1\",\"doiUrl\":\"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8971505/v1\",\"draftVersion\":[],\"editorialEvents\":[],\"editorialNote\":\"\",\"failedWorkflow\":false,\"files\":[{\"id\":106357412,\"identity\":\"7d7ff1a9-014b-4421-a8d6-060a04ce87eb\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2026-04-07 19:09:15\",\"extension\":\"png\",\"order_by\":1,\"title\":\"Figure 1\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"figure\",\"size\":34818,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eIllustrates the divorce-to-marriage ratio in Saudi Arabia over the period \\u003cstrong\\u003e2010 (21.79%)–2020 (38.37%)\\u003c/strong\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"1.png\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8971505/v1/6c2a5ea240d8c7ef1807952b.png\"},{\"id\":106357614,\"identity\":\"7025992e-3d41-4a14-94d1-1018906ddc39\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2026-04-07 19:09:51\",\"extension\":\"pdf\",\"order_by\":0,\"title\":\"\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"manuscript-pdf\",\"size\":842899,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"manuscript.pdf\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8971505/v1/59dd6e98-4d41-444c-85ce-a4db37078861.pdf\"}],\"financialInterests\":\"No competing interests reported.\",\"formattedTitle\":\"Divorce trends in Hail, Saudi Arabia, and their socio-cultural drivers (2010 – 2020)\",\"fulltext\":[{\"header\":\"Introduction\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eOn January 18, 2026, the Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs issued a directive to unify the upcoming Friday sermons across the Kingdom, urging the facilitation of marriage and warning against the avoidance of this foundational social institution (Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, 2026). Like the resonant cries of a peacock signaling attention, the coordinated orations from mosques across Saudi Arabia sought to address a growing societal concern related to the delay in marriages and the rapid rise of divorce. In the Kingdom, divorce has increasingly emerged as a critical social phenomenon in the last few years, reflecting deep-seated transformations in family life amid swift socioeconomic and cultural changes. Recent national statistics reveal a sustained upward trend in divorce rates, with certain regions, particularly Hail, consistently among the highest. This pattern marks a striking departure from the historically low divorce rates characteristic of Saudi society, where marriages were traditionally reinforced by extended kinship networks, strong normative regulation, and limited social and economic alternatives, especially for women.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eWhile divorce is legally and religiously permissible in Islam, as in all regions, cultures, and societies, it has historically been regarded as an exceptional measure rather than a routine resolution of marital conflict. In contemporary Saudi Arabia, however, divorce increasingly functions as both an outcome of marital instability and a socially available response to tensions generated by shifting life patterns, evolving gender roles, and changing expectations of intimacy, authority, and responsibility within marriage. This transformation suggests that rising divorce rates cannot be adequately explained by individual moral failure or legal permissibility alone but must instead be situated within broader structural and socio-cultural processes.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eNotwithstanding, Saudi society has undergone accelerated modernization since the mid-twentieth century, driven by oil-based economic development, urbanization, expanded educational access, and integration into global cultural and media systems. These changes have altered family structures, facilitated the transition from extended to nuclear households, increased women’s educational attainment and labor force participation, and reshaped traditional gender hierarchies. Digital media and transnational cultural flows have further contributed to redefining marital expectations, emotional fulfillment, and conflict tolerance.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eLiterature on divorce in Saudi Arabia identifies a constellation of contributing factors, including failure to fulfill marital responsibilities, misuse of authority, marital infidelity, incompatibility, parental interference, emotional disengagement, economic stress, and participation in non-conventional marital arrangements such as misyar marriages. Importantly, existing studies emphasize that divorce rarely results from a single cause; rather, it emerges from the cumulative interaction of multiple social, psychological, and cultural variables within a rapidly changing social context. Women’s empowerment, through education, employment, and legal awareness, has not directly caused divorce, but has significantly altered women’s capacity to exit unsustainable marriages, thereby reshaping patterns of marital dissolution.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eDespite the growing body of literature on divorce in Saudi Arabia, notable gaps remain. First, much of the existing research adopts either a national-level quantitative approach or a narrowly psychological or legal framework, often overlooking the localized socio-cultural dynamics that shape marital stability in specific regions. Second, limited attention has been paid to regions such as Hail, where divorce rates are disproportionately high despite strong adherence to traditional norms. Third, there could hardly exist studies integrating official statistical data with socio-cultural analysis to examine how modernization processes interact with regional cultural contexts to produce divergent divorce outcomes.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThis study addresses these gaps by examining divorce in the Hail region as a socio-cultural phenomenon embedded within broader processes of modernization, gender transformation, the flux of expatriation, and cultural negotiation. Drawing on official data from the Saudi General Authority for Statistics and the Ministry of Justice between the years 2010–2020, the study employs a mixed analytical approach that combines statistical trend analysis with socio-cultural interpretation to identify the structural and contextual drivers of marital dissolution. Rather than treating divorce as an individual failure, the study conceptualizes it as a socially patterned response to changing marital expectations and life conditions.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe central argument advanced in this paper is that modernization in Saudi Arabia has simultaneously expanded women’s agency and intensified marital tensions, particularly in regions such as Hail, where traditional norms persist alongside rapid social change. This tension has contributed to elevated divorce rates by reshaping expectations of marriage, authority, and emotional fulfillment. The objectives of this study are threefold: (1) to analyze recent divorce trends in the Hail region using official statistical data; (2) to identify the key socio-cultural factors contributing to marital instability in the region; and (3) to assess the implications of these findings for social policy, family support systems, and broader debates on family transformation in Saudi Arabia. By offering a regionally grounded, data-driven analysis, this research contributes to the growing scholarship on family change in Gulf societies and provides evidence-based insights relevant to policymakers and social institutions. The study also aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 by addressing family stability as a central component of social development, cultural continuity, and sustainable modernization.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003ch3\\u003eLiterature Review\\u003c/h3\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eLike many societies experiencing rapid modernization, Saudi Arabia has undergone profound transformations across social, cultural, economic, and educational domains. Historically characterized by rural, tribal, and nomadic social structures, the Kingdom has evolved into a highly urbanized society, with accelerated change particularly evident following the launch of Vision 2030. These reforms have reshaped long-standing social norms and value systems, fostering more open and individual-oriented frameworks. Technological advancement, especially the widespread diffusion of digital communication and social media, has further intensified socio-cultural change, while state-led initiatives, including those promoted by the General Entertainment Authority, have altered patterns of leisure, public interaction, and daily life. Although these transformations have generated substantial social and economic opportunities, they have simultaneously introduced new structural and relational challenges.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAmong the most significant of these challenges is the growing strain on family stability, reflected in rising divorce rates. Al-Khatib (\\u003cspan class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2025\\u003c/span\\u003e) argues that rapid modernization and socioeconomic transformation, initially driven by oil wealth and later reinforced through expanded education, women’s labor market participation, exposure to global media, and shifting value systems, have fundamentally altered traditional Saudi family structures and marital dynamics. These changes have increased women’s agency and expanded alternatives to unsatisfactory marriages, while also introducing new pressures, including mismatched gender expectations, emotional detachment, authority misuse, infidelity, and interference from extended family networks. Divorce, in this context, has emerged not as the result of a single factor but as a multidimensional phenomenon shaped by intersecting structural, cultural, and relational forces. Notably, Al-Khatib highlights the growing prevalence of what is often described as “quick divorce,” reflecting heightened marital vulnerability in contemporary Saudi society. From women’s perspectives in particular, divorce has become a more feasible and socially acceptable response to marital failure, revealing ongoing tensions between persistent patriarchal norms and emerging expectations of gender equality.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSimilarly, Al-Shammri and Al-Harbi (2021) observe that wide-ranging social, economic, and cultural transformations have disrupted traditional family structures and reconfigured value systems within Saudi society. These shifts have altered spousal roles and expectations, contributing to increased marital conflict and, ultimately, higher divorce rates. Divorce has thus become a central social concern across the Kingdom, with its incidence steadily increasing across regions. Observed evidence reinforces these observations. Alanzi and Alamri (2021) note that statistical indicators place Saudi Arabia among the societies experiencing a persistent annual rise in divorce rates. Official data from the General Authority for Statistics reveal particularly high rates in northern regions such as Al-Jawf, Hail, and the Northern Borders. As Alanzi and Alamri argue, divorce has increasingly become a primary mechanism through which couples respond to marital conflict, a reality reflected not only in court records but also in cultural and literary representations.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eFocusing on women’s agency, Alrebh and Al-Mabruk (2025) contend that Saudi women, especially married women, have gained greater confidence in managing their lives and are increasingly willing to exit marriages that do not meet their expectations. This trend aligns with broader regional patterns. Khuzaima Adil (\\u003cspan class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2025\\u003c/span\\u003e) characterizes the sharp rise in divorce across Gulf societies as a clear indicator of deep social transformation in historically conservative contexts, marking a departure from norms that once rendered marital dissolution socially unthinkable.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eExpanding this regional perspective, Lari and Al-Thani identify three interrelated societal shifts driving rising divorce rates across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). First, transformations in gender roles, particularly women’s educational attainment, labor force participation, and economic independence, have altered marital power dynamics. With increased financial autonomy, women possess greater bargaining power within marriage and are more inclined to leave relationships characterized by abuse, inequality, or emotional dissatisfaction (Aldossari \\u0026amp; Chaudhry, \\u003cspan class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2024\\u003c/span\\u003e). Second, social attitudes toward divorce have gradually shifted, especially in urban settings, where stigma has weakened, and separation is increasingly viewed as a legitimate response to marital dysfunction. This attitudinal change has been reinforced by demographic diversity, including large expatriate populations that introduce alternative cultural perspectives on marriage and family life.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe third factor identified by Lari and Al-Thani concerns the impact of digital technology on marital fidelity and intimacy. The proliferation of social media platforms and dating applications has introduced new relational risks, facilitating emotional distance, digital infidelity, and unrealistic expectations. Within the broader GCC context, these developments coincide with a gradual shift away from rigid patriarchal norms toward more egalitarian gender relations. As Alrebh and Al-Mabruk (2025) note, changes in gender-power balances inevitably reshape family dynamics, often increasing marital instability during periods of social transition.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eWithin this framework of women’s empowerment, Gharaibeh and Al Ali (\\u003cspan class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2022\\u003c/span\\u003e) argue that while tribal traditions and deeply rooted cultural norms historically constrained women’s roles in GCC societies, globalization and modernization have substantially weakened these barriers. These forces have expanded women’s access to education, healthcare, and employment while facilitating greater engagement in public life (Al-Asfour et al. \\u003cspan class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2017\\u003c/span\\u003e). Importantly, this transformation has unfolded within an Islamic framework emphasizing balance and equity rather than exclusion, enabling women’s empowerment to coexist with religious and cultural values. Alsanea (\\u003cspan class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2025\\u003c/span\\u003e) further emphasizes that changing gender relations, women’s growing financial independence, the declining influence of extended family networks, and the pervasive impact of digital media have collectively reshaped marital expectations and stability in Saudi Arabia. Since the introduction of Vision 2030, women have experienced significant reductions in legal and economic constraints, gaining greater autonomy through expanded employment opportunities and legal reforms on guardianship. As women’s social and economic power has increased, traditional male authority within the family has diminished, generating new forms of marital tension. In this context, divorce has become a viable outcome for marriages unable to adapt to evolving social norms.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eRecent socio-educational developments further illuminate these dynamics. Saudi women have increasingly prioritized higher education and labor market participation, often delaying marriage in favor of professional and personal development. This represents a clear departure from earlier norms that emphasized early marriage and domestic roles. According to the Saudi Bulletin of Gender Statistics (Ministry of Education, 2018), female enrollment in postgraduate education now rivals that of men, including among Saudis studying abroad. Women’s growing presence in academia and professional fields is similarly notable, with women constituting approximately 45% of faculty members nationwide. This expansion of women’s educational and professional roles has contributed to a structural transformation of the Saudi family, shifting from a male breadwinner model toward dual-income households. Official data from the General Authority for Statistics indicate that increases in women’s labor force participation since 2017 coincide with rising divorce rates. While this correlation does not imply causation, it underscores a structural association that merits deeper socio-cultural analysis.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eResearch also highlights the influence of social media on marital stability. Saudi Arabia ranks among the highest global users of social media, with individuals averaging eight platforms per person (Radcliffe, 2021; Data Portal, 2022). By 2022, social media penetration exceeded 82% of the population, with internet access approaching universality. Such widespread engagement has reshaped social interaction, often fostering unrealistic expectations, facilitating online conflict, and introducing alternative relational networks that may strain marital bonds. Supporting this perspective, Alanazi (\\u003cspan class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2021\\u003c/span\\u003e) examined married couples’ perceptions of excessive social media use in Saudi Arabia. Based on a survey of 1,226 married respondents, the study found that excessive engagement with digital platforms was widely perceived as detrimental to marital relationships, contributing to reduced quality time, heightened jealousy, increased conflict, and overall relational strain. Together, these findings suggest that rising divorce rates in Saudi Arabia are best understood not as isolated phenomena, but as outcomes of intersecting structural, cultural, technological, and gender-related transformations reshaping family life in the contemporary Kingdom.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c\"},{\"header\":\"Methodology\",\"content\":\"\\u003ch2\\u003eResearch design and data sources\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThis study employs a quantitative, descriptive–analytical research design to examine divorce trends in the Hail region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) from a sociocultural perspective over the period 2010–2020. To ensure data reliability, credibility, and reproducibility, the analysis relies exclusively on officially published administrative statistics issued by Saudi governmental and GCC statistical authorities. Primary data were mainly collected from two principal sources. The first source consists of publicly available datasets published by the Saudi General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), particularly those released for the years 2016, 2019, and 2020, which provide regionally disaggregated data on marriage and divorce across KSA. The second source comprises the annual statistical reports issued by the Saudi Ministry of Justice covering the Hijri years 1431–1439 AH, corresponding to the Gregorian period 2010–2018. These Ministry of Justice reports provide detailed records of all officially registered marriage and divorce cases in Saudi Arabia, disaggregated by region, administrative area, court jurisdiction, nationality (Saudi and non-Saudi residents), and total case numbers.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eTo enhance the validity and consistency of the data, the extracted figures were cross-verified with published datasets from the Gulf Statistics Authority, which serves as a regional reference body for official demographic and social statistics. Only concordant data were retained for analysis. The focus of the study is, thus, limited to the Hail region, for which complete and comparable annual data were available across the study period. Secondary sources were used to contextualize the quantitative findings and support the sociocultural interpretation of divorce trends. These sources include recent peer-reviewed journal articles, academic books, policy reports, and recorded scholarly seminars addressing marriage and divorce in Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf region. The theoretical framework is informed primarily by Social Exchange Theory, alongside complementary cultural and family-structure theories relevant to Saudi society.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003ch3\\u003eData analysis procedures\\u003c/h3\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eThe primary analytical indicator used in this study is the Divorce-to-Marriage Ratio (DMR), a standard demographic measure that assesses the number of divorces in a given year relative to the number of marriages registered in the same year. The ratio is calculated using the formula (DMR = (D\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026divide;\\u0026thinsp;M) \\u0026times; 100), where D represents the total number of divorces and M represents the total number of marriages recorded in a given year, and Excel is the software used to perform the calculations. This indicator was applied to achieve three analytical objectives. First, it was used to calculate the share of the Hail region in the total number of marriages registered nationally in KSA for each year between 2010 and 2020. Second, it was used to calculate the share of the Hail region in the total number of divorces recorded nationwide during the same period. Third, it was employed to compute the annual Divorce-to-Marriage Ratio for the Hail region, allowing for longitudinal comparison and trend analysis over time.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eIn addition to annual calculations, the study computes the average marriage rate and average divorce rate for the Hail region across the entire study period (2010\\u0026ndash;2020) to provide a consolidated regional profile. Trend analysis techniques were used to identify temporal changes in divorce-to-marriage ratios, while sociocultural interpretation was conducted through thematic engagement with the existing literature. Tables and graphical representations were used to summarize and visualize key trends, facilitating comparative analysis and improving the clarity of empirical findings.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\n\\u003ch3\\u003eLimitations\\u003c/h3\\u003e\\n\\u003cp\\u003eSeveral limitations should be acknowledged. The most significant constraint relates to the availability of detailed annual data from the Ministry of Justice for selected years, particularly 1437 AH and 1440 AH, for which full disaggregated datasets were not publicly accessible. These gaps were addressed by relying on summary datasets published by GASTAT and corroborated with credible statistical reports on marriage and divorce trends issued by the Almawaddah Society for Family Development for the period 2015\\u0026ndash;2019. Due to data availability and access constraints, the analysis is restricted to the Hail region for the period 2010\\u0026ndash;2020, which represents the most complete and verifiable dataset obtainable across all official sources. While extending the analysis to include data up to 2025 would enhance the study\\u0026rsquo;s contemporaneity, such data have not yet been fully released by GASTAT or the Gulf Statistics Authority, limiting temporal coverage. The study focuses primarily on sociocultural factors influencing marriage and divorce patterns in Saudi Arabia. Other relevant dimensions, including legal reforms, economic conditions, psychological factors, and religious considerations, fall outside the scope of the present analysis. Incorporating these factors in future research would allow for a more comprehensive and multidimensional assessment of marital dynamics in KSA.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"Research Results and Findings\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eThe analysis of annual divorce-to-marriage ratios (DMR) in Saudi Arabia over the period 2010–2020 reveals a sustained and pronounced upward trajectory in marital dissolution relative to marriage formation upward. In 2010, divorces constituted 21.79% of registered marriages (31,072 divorces out of 142,607 marriages), a level that remained relatively stable through 2012, fluctuating between 21.26% and 21.52%. From 2013 onward, however, the ratio increased markedly, reaching 24.29% in 2013 and accelerating steadily to 27.84% in 2014 and 29.50% in 2015. This upward trend became more pronounced in the latter half of the decade, with divorce-to-marriage ratios rising to 33.95% in 2016, 36.60% in 2017, and peaking at 38.73% in 2018. Although a slight decline was observed in 2019 (37.07%), the ratio rebounded in 2020 to 38.37%, despite broader social and institutional disruptions during that year due to the COVID 19 pandemic lockdown. When averaged across the eleven years, the simple arithmetic mean of the annual ratios equals 30.08%, indicating that, on average, approximately three out of every ten marriages registered annually during the decade were accompanied by a corresponding divorce registration in the same year. This pattern reflects a clear structural shift from relatively moderate divorce incidence in the early 2010s toward substantially higher levels by the late 2010s, underscoring a significant transformation in marital stability within the Saudi social context.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cdiv class=\\\"gridtable\\\"\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003ctable id=\\\"Tab1\\\" border=\\\"1\\\"\\u003e \\u003ccaption\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionNumber\\\"\\u003eTable 1\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionContent\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003esummarizes national marriage and divorce trends in Saudi Arabia, regional marriage and divorce ratios for the Hail region, and the Hail region’s divorce-to-marriage ratio relative to total marriages over the period 2010–2020 on both the national and regional levels.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/caption\\u003e \\u003ccolgroup cols=\\\"9\\\"\\u003e \\u003c/colgroup\\u003e \\u003cthead\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colspan=\\\"4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e Marriage ratio (2010–2020)\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colspan=\\\"5\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eDivorce ratio (2010–2020)\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003c/thead\\u003e \\u003ctbody\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eYear\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eHail region\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eKSA\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eShare of the Hail region in total marriages in KSA\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eHail region\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eKSA\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eDMR in Saudi Arabia\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eShare of the Hail region in total divorces in Saudi Arabia\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eDMR in the Hail region\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2010\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4,610\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e142,607\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3.23%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e886\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e31,072\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e21.79%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.85%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e19.22%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2011\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4,758\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e162,880\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.92%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e813\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e34,622\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e21.26%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.35%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e17.09%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2012\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4,919\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e160,271\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3.07%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e861\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e34,490\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e21.52%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.50%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e17.50%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2013\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3,792\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e149,249\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.54%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e1,328\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e36,248\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e24.29%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3.66%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e35.02%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2014\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4,553\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e161,067\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.83%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e1,128\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e44,839\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e27.84%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.52%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e24.80%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2015\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e5,058\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e157,178\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3.22%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e1,185\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e46,373\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e29.50%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.56%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e23.10%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2016\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4,763\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e157,870\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3.02%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e1,543\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e53,604\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e33.95%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.88%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e33.58%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2017\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4,639\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e157,025\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.95%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e1,558\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e57,475\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e36.60%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.71%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e33.58%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2018\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4,122\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e149,862\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.75%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e1,665\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e58,048\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e38.73%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.87%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e40.39%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2019\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3,665\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e137,918\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.66\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e1,612\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e51,125\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e37.07%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3.15%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e43.98%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2020\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4,905\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e150,117\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3.27\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e1,799\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e57,595\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e38.37%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3.12%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e36.68%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003eAverage\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003e4525\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003e153 276\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003e2.95%\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003e1307\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003e45,953\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003e30.08%\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003e2.83%\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003e29.54%\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003c/tbody\\u003e \\u003c/table\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eRegarding Hail region, the study on marriage share and rate in Hail region highlights that Hail accounted for between 2.54% (in 2013) and 3.27% (in 2020) of total marriages in Saudi Arabia, with an overall average share of 2.95% during the study period. The highest marriage share was recorded in 2015, followed by 2012, 2020, and 2011, indicating intermittent growth rather than a consistent upward trend. In contrast, the lowest marriage shares were observed in 2013 (2.54%), 2019 (2.66%), and 2018 (2.75%), marking these years as the weakest in terms of marriage formation over the decade.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cdiv class=\\\"gridtable\\\"\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"char\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"char\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"char\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003ctable id=\\\"Tab2\\\" border=\\\"1\\\"\\u003e \\u003ccaption\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionNumber\\\"\\u003eTable 2\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionContent\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003esummarizes national marriage trends in Saudi Arabia, regional marriage ratios for the Hail region, and the Hail region’s marriage ratio relative to total marriages over the period 2010–2020.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/caption\\u003e \\u003ccolgroup cols=\\\"4\\\"\\u003e \\u003c/colgroup\\u003e \\u003cthead\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" rowspan=\\\"2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eYear\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colspan=\\\"3\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eMarriage ratio (2010–2020)\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eHail region\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eSaudi Arabia\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eMarriage share of the Hail region in total marriages in Saudi Arabia\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003c/thead\\u003e \\u003ctbody\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2010\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4,610\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e142,607\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3.23%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2011\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4,758\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e162,880\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.92%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2012\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4,919\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e160,271\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3.07%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2013\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3,792\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e149,249\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.54%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2014\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4,553\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e161,067\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.83%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2015\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e5,058\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e157,178\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3.22%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2016\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4,763\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e157,870\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3.02%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2017\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4,639\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e157,025\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.95%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2018\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4,122\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e149,862\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.75%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2019\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3,665\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e137,918\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.66%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2020\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e4,905\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e150,117\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3.27%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003eAverage\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003e4,525\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003e153,276\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003e2.95%\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003c/tbody\\u003e \\u003c/table\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eWith respect to divorce, Hail’s contribution to the national divorce total ranged from 2.35% to 3.66%, with the lowest and highest shares recorded in 2013 and 2011, respectively. Notably, divorce rates in the region exhibited a pronounced increase during 2019 and 2020, signaling a recent acceleration in marital dissolution relative to earlier years.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAt the regional level, the divorce-to-marriage ratio in Hail reached its highest levels in the final three years of the period under review, amounting to 40.39% in 2018, 43.98% in 2019, and 36.68% in 2020, with a three-year average of 40.35%. These figures represent a substantial increase compared to the early years of the decade, when the ratio stood at 17.09% in 2011, 17.50% in 2012, and 19.22% in 2010, the lowest levels observed during the study period. This sharp rise underscores a significant structural shift in marital stability in the Hail region in recent years, coinciding with persistently low marriage rates, except for 2020, which recorded the second-highest marriage share since 2012.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cdiv class=\\\"gridtable\\\"\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"left\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"char\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"char\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"char\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003cdiv align=\\\"char\\\" class=\\\"colspec\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e\\u003ctable id=\\\"Tab3\\\" border=\\\"1\\\"\\u003e \\u003ccaption\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionNumber\\\"\\u003eTable 3\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cdiv class=\\\"CaptionContent\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003esummarizes national divorce trends in Saudi Arabia, regional divorce ratios for the Hail region, and the Hail region’s divorce-to-marriage ratio relative in the Hail region over the period 2010–2020, as follows:\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003c/caption\\u003e \\u003ccolgroup cols=\\\"5\\\"\\u003e \\u003c/colgroup\\u003e \\u003cthead\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" rowspan=\\\"2\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eYears\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\" colspan=\\\"4\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eDivorce ratio (2010–2020)\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eHail region\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eKSA\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eDivorce share of the Hail region in total divorces in Saudi Arabia\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003cth align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eDMR% in the Hail region\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/th\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003c/thead\\u003e \\u003ctbody\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2010\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e886\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e31,072\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.85%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e19.22%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2011\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e813\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e34,622\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.35%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e17.09%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2012\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e861\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e34,490\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.50%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e17.50%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2013\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e1,328\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e36,248\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3.66%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e35.02%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2014\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e1,128\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e44,839\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.52%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e24.80%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2015\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e1,185\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e46,373\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.56%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e23.10%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2016\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e1,543\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e53,604\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.88%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e32.39%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2017\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e1,558\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e57,475\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.71%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e33.58%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2018\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e1,665\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e58,048\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2.87%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e40.39%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2019\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e1,612\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e51,125\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3.15%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e43.98%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e2020\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e1,799\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e57,595\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e3.12%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e36.68%\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003ctr\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"left\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003eAverage\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003e1,307\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003e45,953\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003e2.83%\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003ctd align=\\\"char\\\"\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003cb\\u003e29.54%\\u003c/b\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003c/td\\u003e \\u003c/tr\\u003e \\u003c/tbody\\u003e \\u003c/table\\u003e\\u003c/div\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eOverall, the average divorce-to-marriage ratio in Hail between 2010 and 2020 was 29.54%, with an average of approximately 1,307 divorces annually, compared to an average of 4,525 marriages per year over the same period. These findings point to a widening imbalance between marriage formation and marital dissolution in the region, particularly in the latter half of the decade.\\u003c/p\\u003e \"},{\"header\":\"Discussion and Analysis\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eThe findings of this study reveal a sustained and structurally significant increase in divorce rates across Saudi Arabia, with particularly elevated levels observed in the Hail region during the period 2010–2020. National data from the Saudi General Authority for Statistics indicate that the general divorce rates rose sharply in the latter half of the decade, culminating in a 12.7 percent increase between 2019 and 2020 alone, when 57,595 divorce certificates were issued nationwide and the national divorce rate reached 2.18. Regionally, Hail ranked among the highest in the Kingdom, recording a general divorce rate of 3.21 in 2020, exceeded only by Al-Jouf (3.39) and the Northern Borders (3.23). This positioning is analytically significant given Hail’s smaller population size and its historically conservative social profile, suggesting that elevated divorce general rates, relatively close to the divorce-to-marriage rate in this study, are not confined to highly urbanized or economically diversified regions.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThese regional patterns are consistent with the longitudinal trends identified through the Divorce-to-Marriage Ratio (DMR) employed in this study. The steady rise in the DMR from approximately 21–22 percent in the early 2010s to nearly 38 percent by the end of the decade confirms that marital dissolution has accelerated relative to marriage formation. The convergence of national and regional indicators reinforces the robustness of the methodological approach and supports the study’s objective of situating Hail within broader national transformations rather than treating it as a statistical outlier.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eA central explanatory dimension emerging from the analysis concerns the reconfiguration of gender roles and economic participation under the Kingdom’s modernization trajectory. Labor market statistics indicate that women constituted approximately 35 percent of employed Saudis in the first quarter of 2021, compared with roughly 20 percent in 2018 (Saudi GAST, 2021). This shift reflects structural reforms under Vision 2030 and represents a decisive departure from the traditional male-breadwinner model that historically structured marital relations in Saudi society. As women’s access to employment, education, and institutional protections has expanded, marriage has become less indispensable as a source of economic security and social legitimacy. The findings suggest that this transformation has lowered structural barriers to marital exit, particularly for women, thereby contributing to higher divorce rates without necessarily indicating increased familial instability in normative terms.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eDigital transformation further intensifies these dynamics. Saudi Arabia exhibits exceptionally high levels of social media engagement, with users maintaining an average of approximately eight social media accounts per individual. Extensive exposure to digital platforms facilitates continuous comparison with alternative lifestyles and relationship models, reshaping expectations surrounding intimacy, autonomy, and marital satisfaction. Social media, unlike TV, introduce unrestricted set of choices for unrestricted variety of choices, interests and models (Gerbner, \\u003cspan class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e1998\\u003c/span\\u003e. P. 180). Within this context, prior studies have associated high digital engagement with emotional distance, diminished communication, and increased susceptibility to emotional or virtual infidelity. In socially transitional regions such as Hail, where conservative norms coexist with rapid digital exposure, these dynamics amplify relational strain by weakening traditional mechanisms of marital regulation while simultaneously elevating individual expectations.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eDemographic composition also plays a contributory role. Expatriates constitute over 45% of Saudi Arabia’s total population (General Authority for Statistics [GASTAT], 2024). By mid-2024, the Kingdom’s population exceeded 35\\u0026nbsp;million, with Saudi citizens numbering approximately 19.6\\u0026nbsp;million and non-Saudi residents reaching about 15.7\\u0026nbsp;million. Notably, non-Saudis accounted for 75.6% of total population growth during this period. Originating from diverse cultural contexts in which divorce often carries less social stigma, expatriate populations contribute to increasingly pluralistic social environments, particularly in urban centers, where divorce is more normalized and supported through both formal and informal networks, including online communities. Khuzami Adil notes that the presence of expatriate communities has influenced local perceptions of divorce by normalizing it as an acceptable response to marital conflict. This process of cultural diffusion does not imply direct imitation but suggests gradual shifts in normative boundaries, particularly in regions experiencing social and economic transition.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eLegal reform constitutes an additional, though not solely determinative, factor in the observed trends. The Saudi Ministry of Justice introduced the Personal Status Law, which enhances women’s rights and includes provisions specifically addressing their legal protections (The Saudi Ministry of Justice, \\u003cspan class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2023\\u003c/span\\u003e). These reforms have not only expanded women’s access to the labor market but also strengthened their legal standing within family relations. Additional measures, such as governmental stipends and subsidies for divorced women, further support their economic independence and social security, reinforcing the broader structural shifts impacting marital stability. Alboraie and Hashem (\\u003cspan class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2025\\u003c/span\\u003e) argue, however, that persistently high divorce rates in the Hail region are rooted in entrenched socio-cultural practices, particularly forced or socially compelled marriages and parental interference. Prior to the enactment of the Personal Status Law in 2021 (effective June 18, 2022), divorce cases were adjudicated exclusively by Sharia courts, where judicial discretion in selecting among juristic opinions often produced inconsistent outcomes and, in some cases, reinforced harmful social practices (Alboraie \\u0026amp; Hashem, \\u003cspan class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2025\\u003c/span\\u003e, pp. 1530–1533). Yet, while the unification of personal status legislation represents a significant institutional intervention aimed at standardizing rulings and enhancing legal clarity, official statistics indicate that divorce rates continued to rise following the law’s implementation. Rather than signaling policy failure, the persistence of high divorce rates reflects the continued reconfiguration of marital expectations amid rapid modernization.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eChanges in family structure further contextualize these findings. According to the Saudi Census 2022 and Saudi Family Statistics Report (2024), 74.9 percent of households in the Hail region reside in apartment-based owned housing, the highest proportion nationally (GASTAT, 2024, p. 10). This shift toward nuclear family living arrangements has increased couple autonomy while simultaneously weakening extended family networks that traditionally mediated marital conflict. Despite relatively high levels of residential stability, divorce rates in Hail rose sharply between 2018 and 2020, nearly doubling compared to the period 2010–2012. This pattern suggests that homeownership and economic stability do not necessarily translate into marital resilience when social support structures and normative expectations are transforming.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eA further challenge contributing to rising divorce rates lies in the largely unfiltered adoption of external cultural models and lifestyles, particularly Western social norms, often embraced under the banner of cultural openness and modernization. While cultural exchange is not inherently destabilizing, its uncritical internalization may generate unintended social consequences, especially when newly adopted values remain misaligned with prevailing familial and moral frameworks. As Eagleton cautions, “Cultural truths, whether high art or the traditions of a people—are sometimes sacred ones, to be protected and revered” (Eagleton, \\u003cspan class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2000\\u003c/span\\u003e, p. 8). This observation is particularly salient in societies undergoing rapid social transformation, where inherited cultural structures are challenged by globalized modes of life without sufficient processes of contextual adaptation.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eWithin Saudi Arabia, public discourse among social elites and specialists, frequently articulated in television programs, public seminars, and expert forums, has increasingly addressed the influence of modern communication technologies and digital platforms on marital stability. These discussions consistently point to phenomena such as constant social comparison facilitated by social media, emotional disengagement, suspicions fueled by digital surveillance, and perceived or actual infidelity. Such dynamics often disrupt marital routines, undermine trust, and intensify conflict, particularly in the absence of effective conflict-resolution mechanisms (Al-Hawas, 2022).\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eEmpirical and qualitative accounts further identify a constellation of interrelated social stressors associated with marital dissolution, including domestic violence and coercive control, excessive jealousy leading to suspicion and arbitrary interpretations of behavior, parental dominance in spouse selection without meaningful consent of the young man or woman, significant age disparities between spouses, and persistent interference or conflict between extended families (Al-Qunaibit, 2022). Additionally, mismatched temperaments and incompatible personalities, frequently overlooked during traditional matchmaking processes, emerge as recurring factors in marital breakdown. Statistical evidence confirms that Saudi society remains among those experiencing sustained year-on-year increases in divorce rates, reflecting the cumulative effect of these pressures.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eNotably, the persistently high and rapidly increasing divorce rates observed in Saudi Arabia, of which the Hail region is no exception, reflect a recent structural lag between accelerated material modernization and comparatively slower cultural and normative adaptation. Modernization, as Hartmut Esser emphasizes, entails fundamental transformations in a society’s social structure, particularly in patterns of social integration and individual decision-making (Esser, 1993). In the Saudi context, these transformations are evident in the gradual shift from collective, family-centered norms toward more individualized life choices, where personal satisfaction and self-realization increasingly take precedence over traditional marital obligations.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThis transition has been further intensified by widespread digital media exposure, which has expanded individual autonomy and reshaped expectations surrounding intimate relationships. Marriage is increasingly perceived not as a sacred bond, fixed, lifelong institution, but as a negotiable and revisable arrangement. As Beck and Beck-Gernsheim (2002) argue, within individualized societies, marriage becomes a “risk biography,” in which dissolution is socially normalized once the relationship is perceived to hinder personal growth or self-fulfillment. Such dynamics resonate strongly with emerging marital patterns in Saudi society, where rising divorce rates coexist with changing attitudes toward commitment and personal agency.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThis trend appears paradoxical when juxtaposed with the Hail region and, broadly, Saudi Arabia’s high levels of religiosity. However, it can be partially explained through processes of indirect or partial secularization mediated by technology, changing gender roles, and evolving social expectations. Berger (1967) notes that secularization weakens traditional religious constraints on divorce, thereby increasing its social acceptability even within religious societies. In the Saudi case, this does not imply a decline in religious belief per se, but rather a reconfiguration of how religious norms interact with modern lifestyles, legal frameworks, and individual aspirations.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eFrom another theoretical standpoint, Eagleton underscores that “culture requires certain social conditions; and since these conditions may involve the state, it can have a political dimension too” (Eagleton, \\u003cspan class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e2000\\u003c/span\\u003e, p. 15). This insight highlights the structural dimension of cultural change, suggesting that shifts in marital behavior cannot be divorced from broader institutional, economic, and regulatory contexts. In a similar vein, Turki Al-Hamad argues that culture constitutes “a set of standards that shape the system of beliefs and behaviors within a particular society or community, determining individuals’ and groups’ perceptions of themselves, others, and the world around them, and consequently influencing their behavior” (Al-Hamad, \\u003cspan class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e1999\\u003c/span\\u003e). Within this framework, these dynamics help explain why divorce rates continue to rise despite the enduring cultural and religious significance of marriage in Saudi Arabia. Accordingly, the rising divorce phenomenon should be understood not merely as a private or individual failure, but as a manifestation of deeper cultural reconfigurations unfolding under conditions of globalization and accelerated social change. In this respect, rising divorce rates function as a sociological indicator of profound social transition within Saudi society, particularly in regions such as Hail, where rapid modernization intersects most visibly with inherited cultural norms.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThese patterns are further effectively illuminated through Emerson’s power-dependence theory. Emerson conceptualizes social relations as structured by asymmetrical dependencies, whereby an actor’s dependence on another is proportional to their investment in goals mediated by that relationship and inversely proportional to the availability of alternative means of goal attainment (Emerson, \\u003cspan class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e1976\\u003c/span\\u003e). Power, in turn, derives from unequal dependence. Applied to the Saudi context, and particularly to Hail, the expansion of women’s access to employment, legal protection, and social networks has reduced dependence on marriage as the primary conduit for economic security and social status. In 2020, Hail recorded approximately 4,686 marriages and 1,797 divorces, reflecting this recalibration of marital power relations. As alternative sources of gratification become available outside the marital relationship (Emerson, \\u003cspan class=\\\"CitationRef\\\"\\u003e1976\\u003c/span\\u003e, p. 344), individuals, especially women, gain greater agency to reassess marital satisfaction and exercise exit options.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eTherefore, when taken together, the findings indicate that the rising divorce rates observed in Hail, and across Saudi Arabia more broadly, are best understood as the cumulative outcome of intersecting economic, cultural, legal, and structural transformations rooted in rapid material modernization and a concurrent lag in cultural and normative adaptation, rather than as a singular moral, religious, or institutional breakdown. By integrating longitudinal official statistics with a theoretically informed framework attentive to processes of individualization and partial secularization, this study fulfills its central objective of situating quantitative divorce trends within broader patterns of socio-cultural change. The analysis further demonstrates that effective policy responses must move beyond formal legal regulation to incorporate family counseling initiatives, digital awareness programs, and culturally grounded social support mechanisms that address the evolving nature of marital relations in contemporary Saudi society.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"Conclusion\",\"content\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eThis study demonstrates that the rising divorce rates in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including the Hail region, are best understood as the result of intersecting socio-cultural, economic, and structural transformations rather than because of legal permissibility or individual moral failure alone. Divorce has increasingly emerged not only as a response to marital instability but also as a socially legitimized solution to tensions generated by rapid modernization, shifting value systems, and evolving interpretations of marriage and family life. The findings reveal a shift toward a more individualized and transactional model, especially among younger generations, where marital continuity hinges on perceived emotional, material, and personal gains, in contrast to the traditional Saudi model, in which marriage was a sacred institution rooted in collective responsibility, interdependence, and long-term commitment. This transformation reflects broader processes of modernization, globalization, women\\u0026rsquo;s growing educational and labor-market participation, and exposure to transnational cultural norms, all of which have altered expectations of spousal roles, authority, and tolerance for marital conflict. It also reflects the Emerson\\u0026rsquo;s idea, where costs and rewards are being recalibrated, highlighted in his social exchange theory.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eDigital media and global cultural flows have amplified these effects. Social media fosters comparison, consumption-oriented lifestyles, and individualized notions of fulfillment, framing marriage as a negotiable partnership rather than a near-sacred, lifelong bond, and normalizing divorce as a rational response to unmet expectations. These dynamics lower the social threshold for marital dissolution, particularly where traditional mechanisms of familial mediation have weakened amid the expansion of nuclear households. The analysis underscores that divorce should be examined not as an isolated outcome but in relation to the socio-cultural conditions that precipitate it. Materialization of intimate relations, erosion of contentment, weakened intra-familial conflict-management, and evolving gender roles contribute decisively to marital instability. In Hail, where cultural conservatism intersects with accelerated social change, these tensions manifest as a structural lag between rapid material modernization and slower normative adaptation, directly affecting marital durability.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eAddressing rising divorce rates requires multi-level, preventive strategies that extend beyond legal standardization or therapeutic interventions. While reforms such as the unification of judicial procedures under the Personal Status Law represent significant institutional progress, they alone cannot counteract broader socio-cultural dynamics. Stabilizing marriages necessitates coordinated engagement across education, religious institutions, media, and public policy to re-center marriage as a family-forming institution oriented toward shared responsibility, child-rearing, and social continuity. Initiatives such as the coordinated Friday sermons across the Kingdom in January 2026 exemplify institutional acknowledgment of marriage and divorce as collective societal concerns.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eIn a nutshell, the rising divorce rates in Hail, as across Saudi Arabia, reflect broader processes of social transformation, gender-role renegotiation, and cultural diffusion, rather than moral or legal failure. Sustainable family life does not eliminate conflict but prioritizes dialogue, resilience, and shared responsibility. Divorce should be understood as a necessary but limited last resort, rather than a default outcome. Embedding socio-cultural change within culturally grounded frameworks is essential for maintaining family stability and social cohesion amid ongoing modernization.\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"Declarations\",\"content\":\" \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cstrong\\u003eCorresponding Author\\u003c/strong\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eMansour Al-Maswari mansoury2000@yahoo.com\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003ch2\\u003eAuthor Contribution\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eMethodology - Saleh, Mansour, and Omar, Introduction \\u0026amp; literature Review, conclusion \\u0026ndash; Mansour \\u0026amp;Saleh, Analysis \\u0026ndash; Mansour, Resources-Omar, Writing\\u0026ndash;Original Draft - Mansour, Writing - Review\\u0026amp; Editing \\u0026ndash; Saleh \\u0026amp; Omar, Supervision - Omar, Project administration - Mansour \\u0026amp; Saleh, Funding acquisition \\u0026ndash;Saleh, Mansour, \\u0026amp; Omar. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003eAcknowledgement:\\u003c/h2\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThis research has been funded by the Scientific Research Deanship at the University of Ha\\u0026rsquo;il, Saudi Arabia, through project number\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026lt;\\u0026thinsp;\\u0026lt;\\u0026thinsp;\\u003cb\\u003eRCP-25 057\\u003c/b\\u003e \\u0026gt;\\u0026gt;\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eClinical trial number\\u003c/b\\u003e: Not applicable.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003e \\u003cb\\u003eEthics, Consent to Participate, and Consent to Publish declarations\\u003c/b\\u003e: Not applicable.\\u003c/p\\u003e\\u003ch2\\u003eData Availability\\u003c/h2\\u003e\\u003cp\\u003eThe datasets analyzed during the current study are publicly available from the General Authority for Statistics and the Ministry of Justice through their official online portals [https://www.stats.gov.sa](https:/www.stats.gov.sa) and [https://www.moj.gov.sa](https:/www.moj.gov.sa)\\u003c/p\\u003e\"},{\"header\":\"References\",\"content\":\"\\u003col\\u003e\\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eAdil K. When tradition meets modernity: Why divorce is on the rise in the Gulf. Northwestern University; 2025.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eAlanazi N. Married couples\\u0026rsquo; perception of the excessive use of social media and its impact on marital problems in Saudi Arabia. J Hum Social Sci. 2021;18(1A):61\\u0026ndash;94. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.36394/jhss/18/1A/15\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"10.36394/jhss/18/1A/15\\\" targettype=\\\"DOI\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eAl-Asfour A, Tlaiss HA, Khan SA, Rajasekar J. Saudi women\\u0026rsquo;s work challenges and barriers to career advancement. Career Dev Int. 2017;22(2):184\\u0026ndash;99. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-11-2016-0200\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"10.1108/CDI-11-2016-0200\\\" targettype=\\\"DOI\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eAlboraie AS, Hashem NAM. Legislative and social measures to reduce divorce rates in Hail, Saudi Arabia: An Islamic and legal study. TPM. 2025;32(S4):1530\\u0026ndash;3. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://www.tpmap.org/\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://www.tpmap.org/\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eAldossari M, Chaudhry S. Gendered precarity in Saudi Arabia: Examining state policies and patriarchal culture in the labor market. Gend Work Organ. 2024;31(6):2698\\u0026ndash;716. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.13119\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"10.1111/gwao.13119\\\" targettype=\\\"DOI\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eAl-Hamad T. \\u003cem\\u003eAl-thaqāfah al-ʿArabiyyah fī ʿaṣr al-ʿawlamah\\u003c/em\\u003e [Arabic culture in the age of globalization]. Al-Saqi; 1999.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eAl-Hawas J. (2022, September). \\u003cem\\u003eWhat is the secret behind the increase in divorce cases in Saudi society? Divorce trends and social dynamics in Saudi Arabia\\u003c/em\\u003e [Television program]. Ya Hala. Rotana Channel. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTrz26y9SxU\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTrz26y9SxU\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eAl-Khatib SAA. Al-taghyīrāt al-ijtimāʿiyyah wa-atharuhā ʿalā irtifāʿ muʿaddalāt al-ṭalāq fī al-mamlakah min wijhat naẓar al-marʾah al-saʿūdiyyah [Social changes and their impact on rising divorce rates in the Kingdom from the perspective of Saudi women]. J King Abdulaziz University: Arts Humanit. 2025;17(1):160.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eAl-Mawaddah Family Development Association. (2019). \\u003cem\\u003eReport on marriage and divorce rates in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (2015\\u0026ndash;2019): The family from formation to empowerment\\u003c/em\\u003e (p. 12).\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003ehttps://\\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"http://www.almawaddah.org.sa/sites/default/files/تقرير%20معدلات%20الزواج%20والطلاق%20بالمملكة%202015%20إلى%202019.pdf\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eAl-Menqash SARS. (2025). The social dimensions associated with divorce in newly formed families: An applied study of a sample of divorced women in Riyadh (Issue 26, p. 85). J Humanit Univ Hail, 1.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eAl-Qunaibit N. (2022, October). \\u003cem\\u003eBecause of imitating celebrities: A shocking study\\u0026mdash;One divorce every 10 minutes in the Kingdom\\u003c/em\\u003e [Television program]. Ya Hala. Rotana Channel. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://www.youtTVube.com/watch?v=OluMK8iH_64\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://www.youtTVube.com/watch?v=OluMK8iH_64\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eAlrebh A, Al-Mabuk A. Neo-gender balancing in Saudi Arabia: Divorce under social exchange theory. In: Rahman MM, Al-Ghanim K, Hossain Z, Umar H, editors. Handbook of families in the Arab Gulf States. Volume 163. Springer; 2025. p. 7. 4.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eAlsanea F. The role of social and economic changes in increasing cases of divorce between Saudi spouses. LEX Localis \\u0026ndash; J Local Self-Government. 2025;23(S5):2547.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eDataReportal. (2022). \\u003cem\\u003eDigital 2022: Saudi Arabia\\u003c/em\\u003e. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2022-saudi-arabia\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2022-saudi-arabia\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eEagleton T. The idea of culture. Wiley-Blackwell; 2000. p. 8.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eEmerson RM. Social exchange theory. Ann Rev Sociol. 1976;2:335\\u0026ndash;62.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eGeneral Authority for Statistics. (2020). \\u003cem\\u003eMarriage and divorce statistics 2020\\u003c/em\\u003e (p. 1). \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://www.stats.gov.sa\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://www.stats.gov.sa\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eGeneral Authority for Statistics. (2024). \\u003cem\\u003eICT access and usage survey for households and individuals 2022\\u003c/em\\u003e. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://www.stats.gov.sa\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://www.stats.gov.sa\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eGeneral Authority for Statistics. (2024). \\u003cem\\u003ePopulation estimates publication 2024\\u003c/em\\u003e. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://www.stats.gov.sa\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://www.stats.gov.sa\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eGeneral Authority for Statistics. (2024). \\u003cem\\u003eSaudi family statistics report 2024\\u003c/em\\u003e (p. 10). \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://www.stats.gov.sa\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://www.stats.gov.sa\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eGerbner G. Cultivation analysis: An overview. Mass communication Soc. 1998;1(3\\u0026ndash;4):175\\u0026ndash;94.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eGharaibeh FA, Al Ali MM. (2022). The voices of the divorced: Reasons for early divorce among Emiratis in Abu Dhabi. J Int Women\\u0026rsquo;s Stud, \\u003cem\\u003e24\\u003c/em\\u003e(5), Article 23, 2. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://vc.bridgew.edu/jiws/vol24/iss5/23\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://vc.bridgew.edu/jiws/vol24/iss5/23\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eGulf Cooperation Council Statistical Center. (2016). \\u003cem\\u003eMarriage and divorce statistics in the GCC countries (2010\\u0026ndash;2015)\\u003c/em\\u003e (Issue 2, pp. 17\\u0026ndash;68). \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://gccstat.org/en/statistic/publications/marriage-and-divorce\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://gccstat.org/en/statistic/publications/marriage-and-divorce\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eGulf Cooperation Council Statistical Center. (2019). \\u003cem\\u003eMarriage and divorce statistics in the GCC countries (2016)\\u003c/em\\u003e (Issue 4, pp. 39\\u0026ndash;40). \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://gccstat.org/en/statistic/publications/marriage-and-divorce\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://gccstat.org/en/statistic/publications/marriage-and-divorce\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eGulf Cooperation Council Statistical Center. (2022). \\u003cem\\u003eSummary of marriage and divorce statistics in the GCC countries, 2021\\u003c/em\\u003e. Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://www.gccstat.org/en/statistic/publications/marriage-and-divorce\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://www.gccstat.org/en/statistic/publications/marriage-and-divorce\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eMinistry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance. (2026, January 18). \\u003cem\\u003eMinister of Islamic Affairs directs the unification of the upcoming Friday sermon to encourage facilitating marriage and warn against reluctance toward it\\u003c/em\\u003e. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://www.moia.gov.sa/MediaCenter/News/Pages/29071447_1.aspx\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://www.moia.gov.sa/MediaCenter/News/Pages/29071447_1.aspx\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eMinistry of Justice. (2011). \\u003cem\\u003eAnnual statistical report\\u003c/em\\u003e (1431 H, p. 224, 229). \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://www.moj.gov.sa\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://www.moj.gov.sa\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eMinistry of Justice. (2012). \\u003cem\\u003eAnnual statistical report\\u003c/em\\u003e (1432 H, p. 243, 251). \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://www.moj.gov.sa\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://www.moj.gov.sa\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eMinistry of Justice. (2013). \\u003cem\\u003eAnnual statistical report\\u003c/em\\u003e (1433 H, p. 224, 229). \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://www.moj.gov.sa\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://www.moj.gov.sa\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eMinistry of Justice. (2014). \\u003cem\\u003eAnnual statistical report\\u003c/em\\u003e (1434 H, p. 182, 199). \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://www.moj.gov.sa\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://www.moj.gov.sa\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eMinistry of Justice. (2015). \\u003cem\\u003eAnnual statistical report\\u003c/em\\u003e (1435 H, pp. 181\\u0026ndash;187). \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://www.moj.gov.sa\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://www.moj.gov.sa\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eMinistry of Justice. (2016). \\u003cem\\u003eAnnual statistical report\\u003c/em\\u003e (1436 H, pp. 5\\u0026ndash;6, 10\\u0026ndash;11, 40, 46). \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://www.moj.gov.sa\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://www.moj.gov.sa\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eMinistry of Justice. Women\\u0026rsquo;s rights in Saudi laws. Ministry of Justice; 2023. pp. 163\\u0026ndash;4.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eMinistry of Justice. (2022, September 1). \\u003cem\\u003eSaudi Personal Status Law enhances transparency and protects human rights.\\u003c/em\\u003e \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://www.moj.gov.sa/English/MediaCenter/news/Pages/NewsDetails.aspx?itemId=858\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://www.moj.gov.sa/English/MediaCenter/news/Pages/NewsDetails.aspx?itemId=858\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eRadcliffe D. (2021, April 5). Social media in the Middle East: Five things you need to know. \\u003cem\\u003eInternational Journalists\\u0026rsquo; Network (IJNet)\\u003c/em\\u003e. \\u003cspan class=\\\"ExternalRef\\\"\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\\"RefSource\\\"\\u003ehttps://ijnet.org/en/story/social-media-middle-east-5-things-you-need-know\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan address=\\\"https://ijnet.org/en/story/social-media-middle-east-5-things-you-need-know\\\" targettype=\\\"URL\\\" class=\\\"RefTarget\\\"\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eSharaan Y, Al-Harbi NH. Divorce in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Trends, characteristics, and geographic variation. J Cent Geographical Cartographic Res. 2021;31:312.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e \\u003cli\\u003e\\u003cspan\\u003eStatistical Analysis and Decision Support Center. (2018). \\u003cem\\u003eSaudi women: The partner of success\\u003c/em\\u003e (p. 19).\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/li\\u003e\\u003c/ol\\u003e\"}],\"fulltextSource\":\"\",\"fullText\":\"\",\"funders\":[],\"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow\":false,\"hasManuscriptDocX\":true,\"hasOptedInToPreprint\":true,\"hasPassedJournalQc\":\"\",\"hasAnyPriority\":false,\"hideJournal\":false,\"highlight\":\"\",\"institution\":\"\",\"isAcceptedByJournal\":false,\"isAuthorSuppliedPdf\":false,\"isDeskRejected\":\"\",\"isHiddenFromSearch\":false,\"isInQc\":false,\"isInWorkflow\":false,\"isPdf\":false,\"isPdfUpToDate\":true,\"isWithdrawnOrRetracted\":false,\"journal\":{\"display\":true,\"email\":\"info@researchsquare.com\",\"identity\":\"discover-sustainability\",\"isNatureJournal\":false,\"hasQc\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":false,\"externalIdentity\":\"disu\",\"sideBox\":\"Learn more about [Discover Sustainability](https://www.springer.com/43621)\",\"snPcode\":\"\",\"submissionUrl\":\"\",\"title\":\"Discover Sustainability\",\"twitterHandle\":\"\",\"acdcEnabled\":true,\"dfaEnabled\":true,\"editorialSystem\":\"stoa\",\"reportingPortfolio\":\"Discover Series\",\"inReviewEnabled\":true,\"inReviewRevisionsEnabled\":true},\"keywords\":\"Divorce, Saudi Family, Hail region, cultural challenges, social change, family breakdown\",\"lastPublishedDoi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8971505/v1\",\"lastPublishedDoiUrl\":\"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8971505/v1\",\"license\":{\"name\":\"CC BY 4.0\",\"url\":\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/\"},\"manuscriptAbstract\":\"\\u003cp\\u003eDivorce has emerged as a significant and ever-increasing social challenge in contemporary Saudi Arabia, particularly among newly married couples. This study examines the structural, familial, and cultural determinants of rising divorce rates in the Hail region, which ranks among the three highest in divorce rates, according to 2020 data from the Saudi General Authority for Statistics.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eThe research makes two principal contributions to existing scholarship. First, theoretically, it employs R. M. Emerson\\u0026rsquo;s Social Exchange Theory and Terry Eagleton\\u0026rsquo;s concept of culture to critically analyze how shifting social practices, expectations, and cultural norms reshape marital stability. Second, methodologically, it adopts the divorce-to-marriage ratio (DMR) (2010\\u0026ndash;2020) rather than crude or general divorce rates, thereby providing a more accurate measure of the proportional increase in marital dissolution.\\u003c/p\\u003e \\u003cp\\u003eBy integrating quantitative precision with critical socio-cultural analysis, this mixed-methods approach offers both empirical clarity and theoretical depth, advancing current studies that often rely solely on descriptive statistics. The study concludes with evidence-based recommendations aimed at strengthening socially and emotionally sustainable marital relationships in Saudi Arabia, particularly in the Hail region.\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"manuscriptTitle\":\"Divorce trends in Hail, Saudi Arabia, and their socio-cultural drivers (2010 – 2020)\",\"msid\":\"\",\"msnumber\":\"\",\"nonDraftVersions\":[{\"code\":1,\"date\":\"2026-04-07 19:08:11\",\"doi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8971505/v1\",\"editorialEvents\":[{\"type\":\"communityComments\",\"content\":0},{\"type\":\"decision\",\"content\":\"Revision requested\",\"date\":\"2026-04-22T15:58:22+00:00\",\"index\":\"\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"editorInvitedReview\",\"content\":\"\",\"date\":\"2026-04-13T09:30:42+00:00\",\"index\":\"hide\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"reviewerAgreed\",\"content\":\"233963539137471997968610142668078798489\",\"date\":\"2026-04-11T08:53:22+00:00\",\"index\":\"hide\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"editorInvitedReview\",\"content\":\"\",\"date\":\"2026-04-04T08:23:43+00:00\",\"index\":\"hide\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"reviewerAgreed\",\"content\":\"308359693435825275111752345712135112209\",\"date\":\"2026-04-04T07:50:12+00:00\",\"index\":\"hide\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"reviewerAgreed\",\"content\":\"123593218949214616090645493508437576456\",\"date\":\"2026-04-02T04:40:45+00:00\",\"index\":\"hide\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"reviewersInvited\",\"content\":\"\",\"date\":\"2026-04-02T01:40:28+00:00\",\"index\":\"\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"editorAssigned\",\"content\":\"\",\"date\":\"2026-04-02T01:39:06+00:00\",\"index\":\"\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"editorInvited\",\"content\":\"\",\"date\":\"2026-03-24T04:58:17+00:00\",\"index\":\"\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"checksComplete\",\"content\":\"\",\"date\":\"2026-03-22T22:59:18+00:00\",\"index\":\"\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"submitted\",\"content\":\"Discover Sustainability\",\"date\":\"2026-03-22T22:52:17+00:00\",\"index\":\"\",\"fulltext\":\"\"}],\"status\":\"published\",\"journal\":{\"display\":true,\"email\":\"info@researchsquare.com\",\"identity\":\"discover-sustainability\",\"isNatureJournal\":false,\"hasQc\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":false,\"externalIdentity\":\"disu\",\"sideBox\":\"Learn more about [Discover Sustainability](https://www.springer.com/43621)\",\"snPcode\":\"\",\"submissionUrl\":\"\",\"title\":\"Discover Sustainability\",\"twitterHandle\":\"\",\"acdcEnabled\":true,\"dfaEnabled\":true,\"editorialSystem\":\"stoa\",\"reportingPortfolio\":\"Discover Series\",\"inReviewEnabled\":true,\"inReviewRevisionsEnabled\":true}}],\"origin\":\"\",\"ownerIdentity\":\"7f570c50-adf6-4393-b08f-4d81a95629f6\",\"owner\":[],\"postedDate\":\"April 7th, 2026\",\"published\":true,\"recentEditorialEvents\":[],\"rejectedJournal\":[],\"revision\":\"\",\"amendment\":\"\",\"status\":\"under-review\",\"subjectAreas\":[],\"tags\":[],\"updatedAt\":\"2026-05-11T12:51:44+00:00\",\"versionOfRecord\":[],\"versionCreatedAt\":\"2026-04-07 19:08:11\",\"video\":\"\",\"vorDoi\":\"\",\"vorDoiUrl\":\"\",\"workflowStages\":[]},\"version\":\"v1\",\"identity\":\"rs-8971505\",\"journalConfig\":\"researchsquare\"},\"__N_SSP\":true},\"page\":\"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]\",\"query\":{\"redirect\":\"/article/rs-8971505\",\"identity\":\"rs-8971505\",\"version\":[\"v1\"]},\"buildId\":\"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd\",\"isFallback\":false,\"isExperimentalCompile\":false,\"dynamicIds\":[84888],\"gssp\":true,\"scriptLoader\":[]}","source_license":"CC-BY-4.0","license_restricted":false}