Post-divorce Period Research Articles

Parental Divorce Process and Post-Divorce Parental Behaviors and Strategies: Examining Emerging Adult Children's Attachment-Related Anxiety and Avoidance.

The main goal of this study was to examine the role of parental behaviors during both the process of divorce and the post-divorce period on emerging adult children’s attachment-related anxiety and avoidance. Specifically, we analyzed how recalled coparental respect and cooperation, interparental conflict, positive parenting strategies, and both parents’ emotional state and instability from adult children’s perspective during the divorce process and the post-divorce period were associated with emerging adult children’s current attachment representations. Our sample consisted of 173 emerging adults (Mage = 22.01). The results of this study demonstrate that paternal coparental respect and cooperation along with freedom provided by the mother to talk about the father during the divorce process and post-divorce period were both related to lower attachment-related avoidance. Our findings also confirm a significant link between some paternal positive attitudes during the divorce process (i.e., freedom provided by the father to talk about the mother) and low attachment-related anxiety. Overall, the results of this research confirm that beyond divorce perse, several variables surrounding the divorce process better explain variations in adult children’s attachment representations, which contribute to better comprehending the effects of parental divorce.

Determinants of personal growth and life satisfaction in divorced adults.

Divorce is a major life event that can trigger sudden changes in how adults perceive themselves and operate in their social environments. Some previous evidence has documented changes in personality in reaction to marital dissolution. However, little is known about the determinants of personality development in the post-divorce period. Guided by the positive personality development model in adulthood, this study examined sociodemographic characteristics, divorce-related variables and personality-related indicators as determinants of life satisfaction and personal growth in divorced adults. Participants included 460 divorced adults who completed self-reported measures regarding sociodemographic characteristics, divorce-related variables and personality development indicators. Results showed that autonomy, environmental mastery, self-acceptance, emotional self-regulation indicators and motivation for personality adjustment goals were associated with post-divorce life satisfaction. Personal growth was associated with purpose in life, self-expansion, psychological mindedness and motivation for personality growth goals. The sociodemographic characteristics and divorce-related variables differently predicted life satisfaction and personal growth. We discussed the implications of the positive personality development model in understanding post-divorce personality adjustment and maturity.

Women’s experience of divorce. Acta biomedica scientifica

The article is devoted to the problem of studying the experience of women going through the situation of divorce at different stages of the divorce and post-divorce period.Methods. The study was carried out at the intersection of idiographic and nomothetic approaches. At the first stage, the specifics of the experience of experiencing divorce in the online space are described, revealed through an interpretive-phenomenological analysis of the content of a closed Internet forum (n = 297). On the second – the specifics of emotional perception, cognitive assessment and coping with the situation of divorce, depending on the post-divorce experience (n = 50).Results. The experience of divorce by women is accompanied by ambivalent emotions, activates the understanding of the situation and coping with it. Online communication is an effective strategy focused on getting support, self-change, designing the future, allowing you to experience a sense of community in a life situation while maintaining psychological safety. The assessment of the divorce situation and coping strategies are specific: women who have gone through a divorce less than 3 years ago are more likely to seek social support; from 3 to 10 years – prefer the strategy of “flight-avoidance”; more than 10 years ago – “positive revaluation”. Conclusion. The experience of women experiencing the situation of divorce, including emotional, cognitive and conative components, is specific depending on the stage of the divorce and post-divorce period. An effective mechanism for shaping the experience of experiencing a divorce is network communication in a closed group of people who have similar problems.

Psychological Pain among Divorced women in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate

Purpose of the study: This study aimed to assess the psychological pain level among divorced women in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate based on various variables.
 Methodology: The researchers used a descriptive approach to achieve the study goals. The study's sample consisted of (67) divorced women as the researchers used the affordable method to choose using the participants. They also used the Person correlation coefficient with the total score of the instrument to test the instrument's validity. The results showed that all of the questionnaire's items had statistical significance.
 Findings: The current study's findings revealed a moderate psychological pain level among divorced women in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate, with a ratio of (70.2%). The results showed no statistically significant differences and differences in the means of the participants' responses due to the study's variables (age, academic level, duration of marriage, occupational status, and post-divorce Period).
 Applications of this study: The researchers expected to apply the research in centers, institutions, and societies focusing on issues for divorced women for psychological and social rehabilitation programs through activities aimed at enhancing their self-confidence.
 Novelty/Originality of this study: As a result, divorce is a threatening, frightening, and troubling factor for women that causes stress and frustration, particularly in the early post-divorce years.

Does One Size Fit All? Socioeconomic Moderators of Post-divorce Health and the Effects of a Post-divorce Digital Intervention

Public health efforts to reduce divorce-induced health adversities are gaining momentum and positive interventional outcomes of the online Cooperation After Divorce (CAD) digital platform for divorcees have been documented by previous research. However, it is unknown whether socioeconomic characteristics previously associated with prolonged divorce recovery are also associated with post-divorce intervention efficacy, and if so, in what way. Multilevel modeling was employed using a sample of 1,856 recently divorced Danes, who participated in an RCT study of the CAD digital platform, to investigate whether educational and income level (1) predict post-divorce health, (2) moderate the time-induced trajectories of post-divorce health, and (3) moderate the intervention-induced trajectories on post-divorce health over the first 12-months following legal divorce. The findings indicated that lower education and lower income predicted worse post-divorce health over one year post-divorce. Furthermore, it was indicated that education moderated postdivorce anxiety so that lower-educated participants experienced a larger reduction in symptoms of anxiety over time. However, except for depression, no moderating effect of income and education on the intervention effect of CAD was found. Our results suggest a beneficial effect of the CAD digital platform across socioeconomic characteristics in the postdivorce period, bolstering claims of the scalability of post-divorce interventions. Moreover, the findings suggest that, theoretically, the intervention may work to compensate for the lack of educational resources in reducing the health gap in post-divorce recovery.

Women in the tradition of male-female power relations in the post-divorce period: A case study in Tanjung Village, Sumenep Regency, Madura

Power relations between women and men tend to benefit men more than women. In this context, power has the meaning of influencing other parties and making them unconscious. This study aimed to determine the relationship between men and women in terms of power relations. Power is not a function of class domination based on economic control or manipulation of ideology (Marx), and it is also not based on other people’s charm. Instead of perceived negatively, power should be regarded as something positive and productive. This study employs Foucault’s theory of power relations, and Foucault illustrates that power is not centralized and unstructured. Power has the meaning of complex situations and strategies in people’s lives. This study used a qualitative method with interview, observation, and documentation techniques. Men’s power relations in Sumenep Regency to their former spouses occurred in the form of responsibility and attention, giving even the formal husband and wife relationship has ended. Power relations can be seen from verbal communication. According to Foucault, knowledge is not a theory; however, discourse is a truth built by initiators. Men continue to dominate their former spouses when they visited their ex-wife and still fulfill the responsibilities of children living costs. The situation will lead to a reluctance’s sense to the ex-wives because of the effort to maintain a good relationship. The ex-wife chose to ask permission from the ex-husband when to remarry as a tradition to avoid misunderstanding in previously-related parties.

Lived experiences of divorced women in Kashmir: a phenomenological study

ABSTRACT Using a phenomenological approach, the present study aimed to gain an understanding of the lived experiences of divorced women in Kashmir. 20 divorced women were recruited through a purposive sampling technique. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview schedule. Using Colaizzi’s techniques of data analysis, two themes emerged from the data: the reasons for divorce and the challenges faced after divorce. The results of the study uncovered that violence/family interference, infidelity/second marriage of spouses were the dominant reasons for the dissolution of marriage, followed by childlessness, and incompatibility. Additionally, divorce brought about numerous social, economic, cultural, and psychological challenges. To tackle the challenges and traumas, divorced women showed a greater sense of resilience during the post-divorce period utilizing different strategies.

Cookbooks, High-tech Kitchens, and Gender Culture: Addressing the Sugar and Spice in Contemporary Couple Relations

Cookbooks, High-tech Kitchens, and Gender Culture: Addressing the Sugar and Spice in Contemporary Couple Relations

Parenting in Post-Divorce Estonian Families: A Qualitative Study

Estonia is a society characterised by persistence of traditional gender role attitudes. Accordingly, taking care of children is considered to be mainly mother's task and children's living arrangements following divorce are usually solved in the most traditional way - children stay with their mother. Based on qualitative interviews with divorced mothers the study focused on the attitudes of mothers towards fathers’ involvement in parenting following divorce. It was possible to differentiate between three post-divorce parenting patterns: (1) cooperative parenting with nonresident father involved with his children, (2) distant parenting characterized by loose contacts between children and nonresident father, and (3) sole parenting without any paternal involvement or financial support. The interviewees basically agreed that shared parental responsibilities would be the ideal form of post-divorce parenting but in practice their expectations concerning father's involvement were rather modest. The interviewees mostly approved prevailing in Estonia normative gendered parental role obligations with mother as the primary parent who had to take main responsibility for children both in the marriage as well as in the post-divorce period.

Post-Divorce Adjustment and Social Relationships

A meta-analysis was conducted on the role of social relationships in adults' post-divorce adjustment. Twenty-one studies were coded and rich information was gained by comparing “specific relationships” (one-on-one contact with a specific person, such as a friend) with “network relationships” (being part of a group, such as a support group or church community), and by taking into account positive adjustment versus maladjustment, as well as other components of post-divorce adjustment (well-being, affect, psychopathology, and physiological symptoms). The findings indicated that social relationships during the post-divorce period are associated with higher levels of positive adjustment and lower levels of maladjustment. In particular, network relationshipsare important in promoting positive adjustment, while specific relationshipsare important for buffering against maladjustment. This has specific implications for therapists' work with divorcing clients and for the conducting of future research.

Impacts of Divorce on the Behavior and Adjustment Problems, Parenting Styles, and Attachment Styles of Children

In recent years, the most dramatic change in family life has been observed in the rising rate of divorce. Especially in Western countries, more than one million children experience parental divorce and this has given rise to studies that seek answers to the questions of what the possible long-term and short-term effects of divorce on children may be and how they can be coped with. In this study, studies in the Western countries and the restricted number of studies in Turkey, which has a very different cultural background, on the possible adverse effects of divorce on children are reviewed with a view to introducing the existing findings to the relevant literature in Turkey. Within this framework, the impact of divorce on children's behaviour and adjustment problems, the parenting styles they perceive and the attachment styles they develop in the different periods of their lives are examined in the given order. While investigating into the possible effects of divorce on children during their childhood and in the later stages of their lives, the possible interaction of divorce with the variables of age, sex, and perceived social support is taken into consideration. As a result, in the light of the research findings of studies conducted both in the Western countries and in Turkey, it is observed that divorce may have detrimental effects on the levels of behaviour and adjustment problems of children, the parenting styles they perceive and the attachment styles they develop, and that these effects may vary depending on the children's sex, age, and the social support they perceive from their environment. On the other hand, another finding obtained from the study indicates that the possible negative impacts of divorce on children may be alleviated provided that favourable conditions are offered to them in the post-divorce period.

Boundary Ambiguity and Coparental Conflict After Divorce: An Empirical Test of a Family Systems Model of the Divorce Process

A family systems model of the divorce process was proposed and empirically tested for divorced mothers and fathers using a series of multiple re gression analyses. Central to the proposed model was the assertion that the failure to establish rela tionship boundaries that clearly define the former partner as a coparent, but not as a spouse, is a major source of coparental conflict after divorce. The findings supported the hypothesized positive relationship between boundary ambiguity and co parental conflict. Factors that influence boundary ambiguity also were investigated and found to be distinct for mothers and fathers. A high incidence of conflict in the coparental relationship after divorce is one of the strongest detrimental influences on children's adjustment to divorce (Emery, 1992; Grych & Fincham, 1990), resulting in both emotional and behavioral problems (Johnston, Kline, & Tschann, 1989). Some researchers suggest that high levels of conflict may be attributable to the difficult task of divorcing couples relinquishing their marital roles while still finding effective ways to parent together (Ahrons, 1981; Emery, 1994). Despite this hypothesized connection between role renegotiations and coparental conflict after divorce and despite the empirically demonstrated benefits of a coparental relationship after divorce that is low in conflict for both parents and children, little information is available about factors that influence the successful renegotiation of the boundaries that define exspousal and coparental roles after divorce. One possible explanation for this gap in the literature may be that historically divorce was often conceptualized as a life event or crisis that occurred at a certain point with a finite beginning and end (Hetherington & Clingempeel, 1992). One limitation of this approach is that it focuses on the individual and often ignores ongoing changes that occur throughout the person's relationship system (Kitson, 1992; Sev'er & Pirie, 1991). Consequently, many investigators have emphasized the adjustment of each family member and have paid little attention to interpersonal processes. More recently, both scholars and clinicians have begun to address the importance of conceptualizing divorce as a developmental process that requires the ongoing renegotiation of roles and relationships at both the individual and the dyadic levels (Emery, 1994). We designed the current project to gain insight into the intrapersonal factors that influence the ability of divorcing parents to redefine the relationship boundary between themselves and their former spouses. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Emery (1994) proposes that divorce is best viewed from a family systems perspective. A family systems model emphasizes the importance of renegotiating relationship boundaries after a divorce at the dyadic level between former spouses. Boundaries refer to the stated and unstated rules of relationship interaction. They regulate the nature of interaction that occurs among family members (Minuchin, 1974). The postdivorce period is particularly complicated due to the multitude of changes that occur in the spousal relationship. Former spouses need to establish new rules for parenting together in their new family structure, and at the same time they need to relinquish their roles as marital partners. These tasks require shifts in parental closeness and distance in areas such as affection, emotional support, and childrearing decisions. These changes are particularly relevant during the first year after a divorce when family roles are being renegotiated and when many children continue to have fairly frequent contact with both of their parents (Emery & Dillon, 1994; Seltzer, 1991). Central to the family systems model is the assertion that the failure to establish relationship boundaries that clearly define the former partner as a coparent but not as a spouse is a major source of postdivorce conflict. …

Parental Narcissism and the Disengagement of the Non-Custodial Father After Divorce

This paper argues that dominant narcissistic tendencies may keep certain non-custodial fathers from maintaining stable relationships with their children after divorce. It identifies the common characteristics and behaviors of the narcissistic non-custodial father to show the special difficulties he faces in the divorce process. Its main contention, made on the basis of the literature and with the help of two case descriptions, is that divorce and loss of custody pose a special threat to the narcissist's weak self and that the narcissistic father's post-divorce litigation and disengagement both stem from his driving need to maintain the “grandiose self” that protects his vulnerable and fragile core. Furthermore, the paper suggests that the family therapy framework cannot meet the needs of the narcissistic non-custodial father in the post divorce period. It urges that family care professionals be taught to recognize the common behaviors of narcissistic non-custodial fathers in relation to both their children and the helping professionals they consult and be made aware of the strong counter-transference feelings that such clients may evoke in them. It argues, too, that the focus of the treatment be moved to the mother and, especially, the children.

Patterns of Relitigation in the Postdivorce Family

The involvement of divorcing families with the court system is commonly thought to be transient, ending with the ratification of the terms of the divorce, and, subsequently, with divorce itself. This is the case with some families, whose involvement is limited to legal endorsement of their divorce agreement. For other families, involvement is intense and enduring and often extends many years into the postdivorce period. Litigation (defined here as the filing of any type of motion in connection with a divorce) has been linked, in several ways, with poor outcome for parents and children, and is, therefore, a cause for concern. The actual process of litigating can be problematic, causing discomfort for parents (Spanier & Anderson, 1979), intensifying destructive conflict (Emery, Hetherington, & DiLalla, 1984), and increasing the psychological maladjustment of children (Saayman & Saayman, 1989). Litigation is often an index of interparental conflict and/or poor communication, and a consistent predictor of poor adjustment, low self-esteem, and behavior problems for children (e.g., Camara & Resnick, 1989; Johnston, Campbell, & Mayes, 1985; Steinman, Zemmelman, & Knoblauch, 1985). We have chosen to focus on the period of litigation after divorce, referred to here as relitigation, because it can be particularly troublesome for families. Although some families return to court to ratify extant informal arrangements, or to institute legal changes to which both parents have agreed, we expect that relitigation under nonconflictual conditions is relatively rare. Returning to court for resolution of custody, visitation, and child support issues often indicates that parents are unable to adhere to extant arrangements for their children, or that the arrangements are unsatisfactory. In many cases, it also suggests considerable and enduring interparental conflict. The relitigation process can be lengthy and arduous, sometimes lasting until children have graduated from college. During this time, the parents and, particularly, the children have no relief from the divorce process. Parents remain under stress and unsettled, and children remain uncertain about the basic structure of their daily lives. We know little about the characteristics of postdivorce litigation and the families who engage in it. Litigation has rarely been the primary object of investigation. When considered, it is most often used to measure the success of custody arrangements (Ilfeld, Ilfeld, & Alexander, 1982; Leupnitz, 1986; Steinman et al., 1985), mediation (Bahr, 1981), or divorce-related counseling (Irving et al., 1981). Litigation has also been used as an index of conflict in divorcing families (Ash & Guyer, 1986). These diverse, and sometimes tangential, sources of available information yield data that are largely inconsistent and not often generalizable. Data are often limited to clinical samples, or to a specific type of family (e.g., those with joint legal or physical custody). The most basic aspects of litigation, such as its volume and content, have been largely ignored. The longitudinal picture also remains unclear; divorcing families are usually followed for only short periods of time, from 1 year (Steinman et al., 1985) to 2 years (Ash & Guyer, 1986; Cline & Westman, 1971). Pre- and postdivorce litigation are not consistently differentiated. GOALS, RESEARCH QUESTIONS, AND HYPOTHESES The main objective of relitigation research should be to determine its effects on families, particularly children. Documentation is a first step. Although the scope of this study is limited to information in the court records, we begin this documentation process, presenting an overview of the scope and specifics of postdivorce litigation. We concentrate on areas of greatest relevance to children of divorce--custody, visitation, and child support. We explore five research questions and associated hypotheses. …

The Relationship between Divorced Mothers' Perceived Control over Child Rearing and Children's Post-Divorce Development

The present research examines the contribution of divorced mothers' beliefs of control over child rearing to their children's development during the post-divorce period. Fifty-eight divorced, single mothers described their 4year-old children's positive and negative behavior and specific circumstances surrounding child-rearing events. Maternal locus of causality and perceived controllability were assessed. Maternal belief variables were compared with other familial variables (sex of child, time since separation, father-mother harmony, and father-child contact) in predicting children's post-divorce development. Regression analysis indicates that the full model, which included maternal beliefs, accounted for a significant portion of the variance in predicting children's self-esteem and fewer physical and psychological symptoms beyond nonbelief familial variables (restricted model). Implications for practitioners are discussed. Parents' beliefs about child rearing and their impact on children's development have become a prominent theme in contemporary socialization literature (Goodnow, 1988; Miller, 1988). Recent evidence suggests there is a moderating effect of parental social cognitions on parenting behavior (Bugental, Blue, & Lewis, 1990; Phillips, 1990; Sigel, 1986) and children's development (Miller, 1988). Examination of parental beliefs can provide a window to view a cumulative history of interaction between parents and children where parents' beliefs appear to impact developmental processes.

Effect of family break-up and parent divorce on children.

Family break-up is a common experience in childhood today, yet reports of its effects on children vary considerably. Variables to be considered are the age, sex and previous experiences of the child as well as the observer's viewpoint (clinician compared with social scientist): the need for well founded research is obvious. Divorce is a process affecting all family members: parent disharmony and quarrels prior to the divorce appear to be more detrimental to a child's adjustment than the separation itself which may represent a relief of tension. Behaviour and emotional problems following divorce relate to litigation regarding custody and access (accusations of sexual abuse during access are not uncommon), and a diminution of living standards. Feelings of rejection, depression, anger and guilt are frequent in the immediate post-divorce period, but settle during the ensuing year. Family counselling, individual work with children (especially explanations for younger ones) and social support in the post-divorce period are suggested as a means of combating long-term, sometimes lifelong, sequelae.

THE ECONOMIC CHOICE IN DIVORCE:

The creation of traditional family patterns and the transformation of these patterns into stereotypical nuclear study models has spawned a prolific amount of literature on individual happiness, psychological gratification and emotional self-sufficiency. The fragmentation of these family models through divorce has resulted in a breakdown of family function and a disassociation of its members. While some attention has been paid to the economic impact of divorce on the nuclear family, little concern has been shown regarding the economic ramifications on the post-divorce family unit. It is hypothesized that in the post-divorce period, the nuclear has been reshaped or reformed into an extended family. The dissolution-fragmentation process changes the environment in which the family continues to function. It is this extended family and the environment which sustains it that presents the focus of our inquiry. Although we do not disagree that the nuclear family is the predominant model as established by former st...

Family therapy after the divorce: developing a strategy.

Family therapy with the whole family after a divorce has taken place provides a unique opportunity for intervention. Though the spouses have legally terminated their relationship, their parenting function remains. However, this reality is often clouded by the emotional conflicts generated by the divorce. Family therapy can be useful in facilitating life in the post-divorce period. A four-part model for intervention is described. The first task is to redefine the family as existentially including all members. Next, generational boundaries are firmed in order to reduce the parentification process, often intensified by the parent's physical absence. Third, the family needs to have a replay of the history of the marriage to correct developmental distortions and offer a changce to mourn the loss of the intact family. Finally, the therapists attempt to facilitate an emotional divorce. A case study is presented to elucidate the manner in which these steps unfold in treatment.

The postdivorce clinic.

The authors describe a clinic that evaluates court-referred families who have child custody or visitation problems in the postdivorce period. A multidisciplinary staff uses interviews, auxiliary sources of information, and psychological testing to arrive at recommendations that often address issues not specifically mentioned in the legal proceedings, particularly regarding treatment for disturbed children. The authors suggest that the clinic is an example of an appropriate interaction between law and psychiatry.