Divorce Adjustment as a Function of Finding Meaning and Gender Differences

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between finding meaning after divorce and subsequent adjustment. A sample of 119 volunteers (58 men, 68 women) in various stages of divorce completed the Constructed Meaning Scale, the Sense of Coherence Questionnaire (to measure their general disposition to see the world as meaningful), the Disentanglement subscale (emotional separation from former spouse) of the Fisher Divorce Adjustment Scale, and the Scales of Psychological Well-Being. The participants also responded to open-ended questions about their perceptions of the causes and consequences of their divorce. Seven variables (gender, education, initiator status, length of separation, disentanglement, sense of coherence, and meaning) were used to predict psychological well being following divorce. Using sequential multiple regression analysis, meaning was found to add predictive power to psychological well-being over and above all other predictor variables. No gender differences were obtained for meaning or level of psychological well-being. However, women generated significantly more positive consequences of their divorce than did men. In addition, gender differences in the perception of the causes of divorce were consistent with previous research, with physical, emotional and psychological abuse only reported by women. Implications for clinical research and practice are discussed.

Key Words:

• Divorce
• adjustment
• meaning
• gender
• well-being