Examines studies of adjustment to widowhood and/or divorce and points out those places where findings are similar or different. Explores impact upon adjustment of cause of death or divorce, timing of event, demographic correlates, economic issues, social support, and attachment. Concludes with discussion of methodological issues and topics for…

Reviews literature from 1980s on consequences of divorce, focusing primarily on adults, and on areas of controversy and new emphases in studies of divorce. Includes critique of methodology and suggested directions for future research. (Author/NB)

Tested the utility of an exchange model for predicting divorce or withdrawal of divorce petitions, using court records and interviews of men and women who were divorced or subsequently withdrew their divorce petitions. Discriminant function analyses indicated that an exchange model can predict divorce versus petition withdrawal. (JAC)

Addresses problems associated with conducting research on difficult family topics. Issues examined are personal issues that play a role in research topic selections, problems obtaining Review Board permission to do certain research, emotional problems experienced by researchers and interviewers doing work on loss, and emotional problems of…

Widowed and divorced women were studied to test a counteractive model of stress, social support, and distress. Stress following the loss of a spouse led to social and psychological distress the following year; however, mixed effects were found for various conditions of support. Results and future research are discussed. (EMK)

Describes a scale to assess continuing affectional bonds, or attachment, in divorce. In a sample of men and women going through divorce, 86 percent indicated some signs of attachment to their ex-spouses. Suggests greater feelings of attachment with a recent divorce decision, and when the spouse asked for the divorce. (Author/RC)

Explored patterns of marital complaints in a sample of 209 divorcing men and women. Used two codes of complaints. Results indicated that marital complaints varied over time and by sex, education, social class, length of marriage, and income. Some complaints were correlated with symptoms of mental health disturbance. (Author/RC)

Reviews research on the antecedents and the consequences of divorce. Research on historical and sociological causes of divorce, theoretical models, and changes in health status and the role redefinitions experienced by the divorced are discussed. Concludes by relating issues to sampling and measurement. (Author/JAC)