The effects of divorce on trust in intimate heterosexual relationships were investigated using a sample of 478 college students (156 males, 322 females). Subjects were asked to respond to scenarios and questionnaires assessing parental marital status, just world beliefs, parental conflict, and trust. Attitudes toward divorce and common problems were also assessed.

本研究是以Foa等人(1993)的「資源」觀點，來分析婦女在離婚時所可能擁有的生活資源與其離婚後適應的關係，分為自己提供給自己的資源，即個人的條件和特質；和別人所給與的資源兩大類。並採質化研究深入訪談為資料的主要蒐集方法，由分析的資料來看，離婚對女性的衝擊始於婚姻出現狀況開始，而隨時間過去，婦女離婚後生活的適應在型態上也會有一些差異，所以資源在不同階段所能發揮的作用也不相同。研究者依適應型態的不同將離婚適應分成四階段，1.「離」、「合」之間的混亂階段；2.離婚後需立即面對的主要適應議題與離婚資源的關係；3.適應議題的轉變與離婚資源的關係；與4.成長等四個階段。此四階段並無明確的時間區隔，只是發生的順序不同。文中還比較了不同人際關係所提供的資源在具體性上的差別以及其引申的意涵。 研究發現：1.離婚適應是一個長期的動態歷程，包含與生活相關的各向度，所以離婚者可獲得的資源如何，影響其離婚後生活適應的品質。2.以資源影響適應的觀點而言，資源當然對適應有益，但當適應牽涉到生活的各層面時，同一資源對不同向度的生活適應，便可能產生負面的影響。3.既然離婚適應是一個長期的歷程，同一項資源在不同的時間點上，特別是在人際關係所提供的資源方面，人際間的互動，可能隨著時間的消逝，而在心理層面有所改變，則這些改變就可能影響其所提供的資源，並進而影響婦女離婚後的生活適應。 / Based on Foa’s “Resource” perspective in 1993, this research analyzes the relationships between the resources women potentially own during the course of getting divorced and their adaptability to the post-divorced life style. The resources are grouped into two major sources: self-resources, i.e. personal qualifications and characteristics, and external-resources provided by others. This research relies on in-depth qualitative interviews as its main source of input data collection methodology. According to input data analyses, women’s post-divorced life styles have very different adaptive patterns. Therefore, “resources” also display different functions in divorce process. Based on different adaptive patterns, the researcher proposes four phases of divorce adaptability: 1) the chaotic phase of “marriage” or “divorce”; 2) the relationships between adaptation issues and resources during the phase immediate after divorce; 3) the relationships between the transformation of adaptation issues and resources; and 4) growth. There is no fixed timeframe for the four phases. The only distinction is the sequence of occurrence. Furthermore, this research compares the “concreteness” of resources provided by various inter-personal networks and its implications. This research discovers that: 1) the post-divorced adaptation is a long-term, dynamic process, covering all aspects of life. As a result, the resources available to divorcee will directly affect the quality of her post-divorced adaptation. 2) From the perspective of resources affecting adaptability, resources are certainly positive. However, when the adaptation involves with all aspects of life, the same resource might have negative effect on some certain dimensions. 3) Because divorce adaptation is a long-term process, the same resources, especially those provided by inter-personal networks, would likely fade away as a result of changes in personal interactions, and might psychologically affect the resource function, which in turn will affect women’s post-divorced life adaptability.

Using a stress and coping framework, this study examines the role of religious coping in the divorce adjustment process. This study utilizes three waves of data from a longitudinal study of divorcing mothers with young children. The primary analyses examine the role of religiosity in the divorce appraisal process, as well as the influence of both positive and negative religious coping on divorce appraisal, depression, and changes in religiosity. The study also explores how changes in divorce appraisal and religiosity influence change in depression over time. The results indicate that higher rates of negative religious coping are linked to more negative divorce appraisal, higher levels of depression, and declines in religiosity. In contrast, positive religious coping is associated with increases in religiosity over time. Additionally, findings show that changes in divorce appraisal predict changes in depression, but this relationship is moderated by one’s level of religiosity. / text

published_or_final_version / Social Work and Social Administration / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Sciences

This study investigates the role of resilience in women coping with the life transition of divorce. Five women were interviewed and an in-depth qualitative analysis undertaken, in order to explore the subjective experience of resilience during the period of separation and divorce, and its effect on post-divorce adjustment. In addition, the usefulness of formal divorce support groups to enhance resilience was examined. It was found that the most important aspects of resilience as reported by the women were social support; spirituality; personality traits such as optimism, courage and resourcefulness; an orientation toward the future; and competence/mastery of one's environment (including mastery of one's thoughts and emotions). It appeared that resilience facilitated adjustment in several ways; notably in providing a sense of purpose, control and competence resulting in an experience of personal growth. All of the women felt that they had developed a sense of their own identity and greater self-determination through the process of divorce. Support groups might be potentially effective in providing assistance in dealing with emotional issues such as anger and forgiveness; with skills development such as emotion regulation and cognitive techniques like reframing; as well as practical and informational support. Such groups might also provide a temporary community of social support where divorced women can interact with other people who are experiencing the same things. The study illuminated the subjective, often unique experience of separation and divorce; this emphasises the challenge for divorce groups to offer support which addresses this uniqueness. / Psychology / D.Litt. (Psychology)

This study outlines and evaluates a school-based group intervention programme, offering support and teaching problem-solving skills, for children of divorce. The effect of the programme on children's beliefs about divorce and their self-concept is empirically investigated. A sample of 17 latency age children was divided into an experimental group and a wait-list condition control group. The results indicate that a group intervention programme can contribute towards positive changes in children's beliefs about divorce and improvements in their self-concept. Treatment effects for children of divorce are not only associated with the fonnal group intervention programme. Children in both groups improved on several measures from first to second testing and several explanations are offered for these findings. This study suggests that group interventions can contribute to improved adjustment outcomes for children of divorce, by helping children develop more realistic beliefs about divorce and by improving their self-concept / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science) in Mental Health

M.A. (Social Work) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. / Over the years it has become clear that divorce is an increasingly common occurrence. As a legal process, divorce sanctions the dissolution of a marriage but it does not necessarily dissolve the connections that developed between the individuals during a marriage. This is particularly the case when children are involved. Parents might choose to relinquish their connection to each other as husband and wife but they cannot relinquish the connection to their children as mother and father. This study was designed to explore the way in which the effects of parental divorce surface during the developmental period of young adulthood. The aim of the study was to offer some insight into the long-term effects of parental divorce and to add to the knowledge and understanding of this complex phenomenon. The design of the study was qualitative and data was collected through in-depth unstructured interviews with three young adults who have experienced parental divorce. The interviews with each of the participants were conducted as part of a therapeutic process. An intra-individual analysis of the information offered by each participant rendered an understanding of their phenomenological experience of parental divorce while an inter-individual analysis of their accounts permitted a discussion of common and contrasting themes and patterns. The literature reviews on the effects of parental divorce and the findings of this study, have formed the basis for a proposed a theoretical framework which will enhance the understanding of the phenomenological experience of parental divorce. It is hoped that the information gained will serve as guidelines for those working with individuals who have experienced parental divorce. Key Words: Parental divorce, young adult, identity, relationship, holism, system, cybernetics, constructivism, phenomenological, qualitative investigation, process.

This study investigated a proposed model hypothesizing that parental divorce would directly effect romantic beliefs and attitudes, romantic attachment and relationship characteristics. A sample of 494 young adults between the ages of 18 and 35 indicated that parental divorce does have a negative impact on romantic beliefs, attitudes toward marriage and divorce, romantic attachments, and relationship characteristics when considered in the context of marriage. Those individuals whose parents divorced reported less positive attitudes toward marriage and more openness toward divorce. Those whose parents divorced reported less idealized romantic beliefs and less of a belief that love will find a way. Those who experienced parental divorce had a more fearful romantic attachment style and reported a lower chance of marriage to their current partner.