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An empirical investigation of emotional reactions to divorce
Author(s) -
Hackney Gary R.,
Ribordy Sheila C.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(198001)36:1<105::aid-jclp2270360107>3.0.co;2-c
Subject(s) - psychology , social psychology , developmental psychology , clinical psychology
Administered three personality tests to four groups ( N = 74): (1) individuals who subjectively defined their marriages as good; (2) individuals who were undergoing marriage counseling; (3) individuals who had filed for divorce, but had not yet been to court; and (4) individuals who had been divorced between 6 and 12 months. These groups were selected to represent the various stages of the divorce process and thus constituted a cross‐sectional design. Results indicated intensified feelings of depression, anxiety, and hositility as one entered marriage counseling. These feelings were maintained through the period of attaining the divorce; however, by the sixth to twelfth month after the divorce most of these negative feelings had disappeared.