Just how do women get through infidelity in marriage? Does infidelity always lead to divorce?

These are questions the media and armchair pundits are pondering in the aftermath of the Spitzer sex scandal. Psychologists and academics say the obligation to remain sexually faithful to one's spouse continues to carry a lot of weight, at least in the U.S. In France and Italy, it's something else altogether. But in the U.S., among all the marital problems one can have, infidelity is the one most likely to lead to divorce.

Sociologists' research on infidelity shows that men are routinely motivated by sex, while women stray outside the bounds of marriage in search of emotional intimacy, the kind they're not receiving from their spouse. Yes, more men than women cheat, but the numbers are increasing for both genders.

In fact, a 1994 study by sociologist Edward Lauman found that 10 percent to 11 percent of spouses had cheated in the previous year; over a lifetime, the study revealed about 18 percent of women and 24 percent of men reported an extramarital affair. More recently, a 2006 Pew Research Center survey found that nearly 90 percent of participants said it's morally wrong for married individuals to have an affair, which may or may not involve sex. Nearly the same percentage said adultery is morally wrong.

Notably, experts say that wives are more likely to forgive a cheating spouse and remain in the marriage particularly if the infidelity was committed with a prostitute or a one-night stand, versus a mistress or someone with whom a longer-term emotional bond was formed. However men are much less forgiving of their cheating wives; most don't tolerate their wives' indiscretions and view infidelity as a statement about their manhood.

The hand-wringing over Silda Wall Spitzer's future with her now defamed husband, the governor of New York, has officially begun. Newspapers, talk radio, TV pundits, therapists and armchair shrinks — yeah, that's you and me and all of us — all chipping in with our two cents.

Silda, Silda, Silda... Whatever was she thinking standing by her cheatin' hubby, the gov of New York? Well, she and the gov are married for 20 years. They have three kids together. She shelved her prestigious and lucrative legal career to raise the kids and to be a dutiful political wife. She's also a passionate philanthropist and organizer, having founded a children's advocacy program (Children for Children), among other activities.

This is a dynamic woman. She is no fool. Will her children, three beautiful girls, ever be able to trust the men in their lives? What message does it send to them if she stays?

All bets are off on Silda's marriage. Yep. In what's likely to become the Super Bowl of divorces, I anticipate a separation and divorce proceedings to begin within six to eight months, or at least before the end of 2008.

Britney Spears' visitation rights were reinstated on Friday after her ex-husband Kevin Federline agreed to a modification in a court order. The troubled pop star will get to see her kids Sean Preston and Jayden James (we don't know when) after two stints at psychiatric facilities and several court appearances.

K-Fed has sole physical and legal custody of the boys; Britney's visitation rights were suspended on January 4 after her first hospitalization.

No matter the situation — and it's unclear exactly what her condition is (published reports say it's everything from bi-polar disorder to manic depression to obsessive compulsive disorder) — Britney will likely feel better when she sees her children. And the kids? At the tender ages of 2 and 1, respectively, these kids need their mother's presence in their lives. Is their mother troubled? To be sure. But childhood memories and emotional/physical bonds form very early. Attachment and abandonment issues come to the fore very quickly even in infancy.

I sure hope Britney, who seemingly has all the resources (both financial and familial) in the world, gets the help and treatment she needs to improve her mental and physical well-being. Even if she goes back to the business of being Britney/mega pop star, she'll never be whole if her kids are out of her life for long.

Click here for more.

It might be one of the stickiest situations in a divorce. It doesn't concern the kids, the house or the china: It's the question of who gets the family pet and it can be as complicated as any child custody case. Really.

Take the case of million Marsh Newmark who says he spent $60,000 in battling his ex for custody of their golden Lab mix Rocky. At first, the estranged couple had a shared custody arrangement. Newmark's ex got the dog Monday morning through Thursday night; Newmark got Rocky on the weekends.

The arrangement worked, for the most part, until one day two years ago when his ex's dogwalker told Newmark that Rocky wouldn't be returning. Newmark's ex reportedly accused him of abusing the dog. Low blow. Eventually, Newmark went to court to get custody of the dog but he lost the case and is now appealing. He hasn't seen the dog since last summer.

As bad as a divorce is for the people involved, it just may be worse for the pets. Pets are like children to most people...so the issues involved are nearly as emotional. When a couple who divorces doesn't have kids, the pets are the kids. The thing is, there are so many animals that need good homes, you'd like feuding exes could just go down to animal shelter and choose a new pet.

Click here for more.

Oprah spoke with M. Gary Neuman, author and founder of the Sandcastles Program, a program for kids ages six to 17 designed to help them cope with their parents' separation or divorce.

On the show, Oprah and Neuman spoke with kids about the pain of their parents' divorces. In one case, a mother left her two kids in the care of their father, but the pain of her abandonment and rejection remained fresh as both the boy and girl wept openly over the loss.

Kids tend to feel responsible for the rejection of the parent who abandoned them, Neuman said. He told the two siblings on the show that they didn't make their mom go away and they can't make her return.

Neuman told the audience that if kids don't let their emotions out at the time of the split, they will become damaged adults. Frequently boys grow up to experience rage, girls experience chronic depression. "Kids heal through love and connection," Neuman said. "They blame themselves after divorce and secretly think they can fix the divorce."

Neuman said parents should hold their tongues and never criticize one another in front of the kids. Parents should speak to their kids frankly when they have decided to divorce and allow them to ask questions. Spend time listening and talking and afterward, have everyone hold hands and hug.

For more information on Neuman's Sandcastles program, click here.

Enough already! Gossip site TMZ.com reports that Britney Spears' attorney Laura Wasser wants to quit the pop-tart's child custody case.

Even though their divorce was finalized, Britney is still engaged in a custody battle with her ex Kevin Federline. K-Fed wants to expand his custody privileges and is ooking more and more like father of the year as more stories surface of Britney's late-night exploits and girl-on-girl action with her assistant.

Currently, Britney and K-Fed split custody of their two kids 50/50. No word on why Wasser, who handled Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson's divorce, wants out.

The terms of Michael and Dina Lohan's settlement today in a Long Island courtroom were not disclosed. Michael, who's been living in a drug and rehab center since his release from prison in March, is expected to gain broader visitation rights. The Lohans return to court on Sept. 6.

Meanwhile, Lindsay remains in a Utah treatment facility after being arrested last month for allegedly driving while intoxicated and cocaine possession. Outside the courthouse, Lindsay's mother Dina told the AP the 21-year-old actresss was doing "fantastic."

Phillips will also pay a $216,000 lump sum to Kelly and his kids, and share a portion of any future raises in his $600,000 annual salary, according to court papers.

The pair split in 2005 after 11 years of marriage.

Bert, 59, and Jean, 54, hopefully have joined up for the last time. They have five kids and 26 grandchildren. So what made their relationship so on-again, off-again? It sounds like the typical rows and arguments couples have during marriage provoked each to file divorce papers on at least two occasions during their relationship.

"We have been on a bit of a merry-go round, but I think overall we have had a jolly good time of it," says Bert, in London's Daily Mail newspaper. "We have just had our ups and downs just like other marital couples but the fact is we are made for each other and this marriage is for keeps."

Aw...that's sweet. If only all splits ended up like this: Not splits at all.

Click here for more.

Published reports today say that Michael and Dina Lohan may settle their long-running custody and child support battle as soon as next week. The estranged parents of troubled actress Lindsay Lohan have been battling in court since 2005 over visitation and support issues for the couple's minor children.

Michael, who was released from prison in March after serving part of a sentence for drunken driving, brawling and other charges, is living at a Christian-based drug and rehabilitation center in Long Island. He wants greater visitation privileges with respect to his two youngest kids Aliana, 13, and Dakota, 10. Currently, he has phone calls with the kids. A Family Court Judge ordered a review by a therapist which is due by Sept. 6. However, the next court date is Aug. 17.

Meanwhile, Lindsay is allegedly undergoing another round of rehab after being arrested a few weeks ago for driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license and felony cocaine possession. The arrest came just two weeks after her release from her second round of rehab this year. Lindsay's family woes have only put more stress on her already stressed out young life. Her dad, Michael, is known to have alcohol addiction issues and he's accused Dina of abusing pills.

Let's hope things get straightened out soon. This family is in the limelight and apparently loves it. But the whitehot celebrity glare isn't serving them well at all. Turn the klieg lights off, please.