Kim Kardashian's Divorce Could Prevent Kourtney From Marrying

When one of your sisters goes through a heartbreaking divorce, it’s hard not to let her unhappy union affect your own feelings about a happily-ever-after.

But what if that sister is Kim Kardashian? And what if that divorce turned into one of the most publicized celebrity news stories of the year?

Kim's romance, engagement, wedding, and split from NBA star Kris Humphries all happened so quickly (they lasted 72 days as man and wife before announcing their split), it didn't register how their break-up may affect her two closest sisters, Kourtney and Khloe.

In many ways, Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick are one of the most successful reality TV couples in history. Hear us out: They began their rise to fame together, and five years (and two children) later, they’re not only still together, but somehow managed to come out stronger.

As Kim recently told Us Weekly about Kourtney and Scott, "They are better than ever." And on the current season of Kourtney and Kim Take Miami, the happy couple is more affectionate than ever—a far cry from their last on-camera time in South Beach, when Scott wound up drinking heavily and punching a mirror. Good times.

But despite engagement rumors late last year, Scott told Us, "We're happy; if it's not broke don't fix it." 

Still, why the reluctance—particularly on Kourtney's part—to make it official?

"When you’re close to a sibling, their divorce trauma is virtually certain to impact you,” says YourTango Expert Meri Arnett-Kremian. “If you’re a public figure, when you see someone you're close to go through that, you're likely to decide to avoid that kind of publicity at all costs. Taken to extreme, that may include not marrying someone you love."

Diving further into Kourtney's family history, she also went through her own parents' divorce when she was around 11 years old. Her family was already famous, thanks to father Robert Kardashian's defense of accused murderer O.J. Simpson in 1994. After her parents split, she went on to witness her father go through one broken engagement, another divorce, and a third marriage before his death in 2003.

On the other hand, Kourtney has two successful marriages in her immediate family. Her mother Kris has been happily (despite recent buzz) married to Bruce Jenner for 22 years, and little sister Khloe is in a loving and devoted marriage with husband Lamar Odom.

Still, it's easy to understand how Kim's short-lived marriage to Kris could make Kourtney question her own beliefs in marriage—no matter how frail they were to begin with.

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As Arnett-Kremian explains, "[A sibling’s divorce] is likely to make you examine your own marriage or intimate relationship to assess its vulnerability to implosion. Is it on solid ground?" Many Kardashian fans would be quick to call Kourtney and Scott's relationship unstable, and Kourtney would be the first to admit their union has been rocky.

"Looking at your own relationship in response to your sibling’s divorce can be a wake-up call," says Arnett-Kremian. "The closer the relationship you have to the divorcing person, the greater the chance your relationship will fail. Estimates of increased divorce risk range from one-third to 75 percent."

Not to worry, Kourtney and Scott. There are still ample benefits for couples who choose to stay in a long-term committed relationship without tying the legal knot.

"Not having a legally binding relationship may give these couples a sense of more independence and flexibility," says Arnett-Kremian. "Some of the ones that come to mind include relationships that just can’t handle the intensity of full-time exposure to a partner that marriage usually entails."

Sound like any particularly erratic reality couple you know? As long as Mason, 3, and Penelope, 7 months, are loved beyond belief, we have a feeling Kourt and Scott can survive without the televised fairy tale wedding. Time will tell if the same can be said for Kim.

Have you ever experienced a sibling go through a rough split from their husband or wife? Did it turn you off from marriage or serve to make your own relationship stronger? Share your thoughts in the comments!