Miscalculation in the New Math for Marriage

In her column about a study of attitudes and responses that predict divorce (“Some New Math for the Happy Marriage,” Aug. 14), Robin Abcarian confuses predictor with cause.

A husband’s walking out on a heated argument while his wife insists on continuing it is not likely the cause of future separation--merely an indicator. The cause is the insistence on doing battle. Many marriages and lives have been saved because one spouse had the good sense to get out of the house until the other had cooled off.

The purpose of any fight is to destroy some aspect of the other person to at least the extent necessary to win an objective. People who think fighting is healthy need to have their heads examined.

DR. WAYNE C. IRWIN

Northridge