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Guilt, Attribution of Responsibility, and Resolution of the Divorce Crisis
Author(s) -
Peterson Linda Ceriaie
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
image
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.009
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1547-5069
pISSN - 0363-2792
DOI - 10.1111/j.1547-5069.1978.tb01517.x
Subject(s) - attribution , citation , media studies , psychology , library science , sociology , computer science , social psychology
Guilt, Attribution of Responsibility, and Resolution of the Divorce Crisis (May 1978) Linda Ceriale Peterson B.S., Fairleigh Dickinson University M.A., New York University Ed.D., University of Massachusetts Directed by: Professor John W. Wideman Divorce is a major social problem, on the increase, and usually generating personal crises for those involved. Yet crises are occa¬ sions for personal growth if a person can resolve them constructively. This study was designed to answer three main questions regarding the resolution of the divorce crisis. Firstly, what is the relationship between guilt and the resolution of the divorce crisis? The literature suggests, according to the prevailing societal attitudes, that divorce is a wrongful act in failing to maintain the marriage. Hence, people who have a predisposition to over-reacting to societal attitudes and find themselves incapacitated by a chronic state of guilt, may have dif¬ ficulty resolving the divorce crisis. Secondly, what is the relationship between single attribution of responsibility (to self, to ex-spouse, or to external factors) and the resolution of the divorce crisis? The literature supports the no¬ tion that attributing responsibility, i.e., assigning cause, is an on-