Women's Experiences of Midlife Divorce Following Long-Term Marriage

Abstract

Using Hagestad and Smyer's (1982) and Bohannan's (1970) divorce theories as a framework to guide the research, the divorce experiences of five midlife women were investigated to understand (a) how midlife women adjust to marital dissolution, and (b) how recently divorced midlife women negotiate the transition to singlehood. In-depth interviews revealed that midlife divorce is a complicated process consisting of multiple ceasings and new beginnings that take place over an extended period of time. Results supported that a divorce model hinging on the emotional and psychological aspects of divorce may be appropriate for understanding women's midlife divorce. Analyses of the interviews suggested a link between an orderly pattern of divorce according to Hagestad and Smyer's model and the successful transition through all of Bohannan's six stations of divorce.

Key Words:

• Divorce
• midlife
• long-term marriage
• Bohannan