Factors Related to the Adjustment of Divorcing Men

In order to examine the effects of marital disruption upon divorcing men a sample of 40 men separated between one and six months and involved in a divorce petition was interviewed. All but three were reinterviewed between three and four months later. There was relatively little improvement during the time interval. Factors associated with poor adjustment to marital separation were found to include preseparation help seeking weak or nonexistent social networks outside the marital relationship a variety of difficulties in the work setting and a continuing relatively intense relationship with the spouse and children. Successful adjustment to marital disruption in the case of some men may require a set of distancing behaviors relative to the spouse and adjustments in ways of meeting the needs of children. (authors)