Coping Strategies and Emotional Reactions to Separation and Divorce in Anglo, Chicana, and Mexicana Women

Abstract

Anglo, Mexicana, and Chicana women were inter- viewed and given standardized questionnaires to determine differ- ences in distress, coping, and other variables relating to their di- vorce. There were several interesting group differences relating to perceptions of the main causes of the divorce and the percentage in each group who contested the divorce. One of the strongest findings related to the relatively high distress of the Chicana group compared to the Anglo and Mexicana women. The Chicana women also showed more attempts to cope with their distress and greater reliance on family during the period of the divorce than did the other two groups. Cultural factors associated with being Chicana were dis- cussed as possible causes of these findings.