The role of attachment in the post-divorce experience

The loss of the spouse resulting from marital breakdown appears to be a central component of post-divorce distress. However, comparatively little empirical research has examined the nature of this broken bond or its impact on the divorced adult. This study tests the hypothesis that the continuing po...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of personality and social psychology Vol. 54; no. 3; p. 496
Main Author Berman, W H
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.03.1988
Subjects
Adaptation, Psychological
Adult
Divorce
Female
Humans
Interpersonal Relations
Middle Aged
Object Attachment
Psychological Tests
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Summary:The loss of the spouse resulting from marital breakdown appears to be a central component of post-divorce distress. However, comparatively little empirical research has examined the nature of this broken bond or its impact on the divorced adult. This study tests the hypothesis that the continuing positive feelings for the ex-spouse following divorce are very salient for the individual and are related to increased distress. Sixty recently divorced women selected from court records were randomly assigned to one of three conditions in which they recalled the ex-spouse in a positive, loving interaction (PS); the ex-spouse in a conflictual interaction (C); or a friend in a positive, loving interaction (PS). A post-recall thought sampling procedure was employed to measure the frequency of thoughts about the ex-spouse. The subjects in the PS condition had significantly more post-recall thoughts of the ex-spouse and significantly more thoughts about coping than those in either the C or the PF conditions. The implications of these data for theories of post-divorce adaptation and adult attachment are discussed.
ISSN:0022-3514
DOI:10.1037/0022-3514.54.3.496