Marital Separation

Abstract

Fifty-six maritally separated individuals were surveyed regarding the causes and consequences of their marital separation, and the manner in which they coped with the adjustment. Comparisons were made based on gender, initiator status (i.e., who initiated the separation), and length of separation. It was found that a disproportionate number of females in the sample were initiators, and that communication difficulties, emotional abuse, and the lack of love were cited most often as precipitants of the separation. Differences were found in both structural and functional aspects of the social support network; differences were also found in arguments over the children, romantic involvement, time spent with other people, involvement with the legal system, and changes in income. Mean scores on the CES-D both at the time of separation and at the time of interview indicated clinical depression. Increased psychiatric symptomatology correlated significantly with several events which precipitated the separation.