Divorce in the United States

Relative Impacts of Divorce in Relation to Gender

Although research studies have highlighted the negative effects of divorce, others have pinpointed the differential impact of divorce on men and women. These studies have indicated that divorced men and women are confronted with distinctive challenges in postdivorce life, which affect their adjustment process. Unlike their male counterparts who have pursued their career throughout their marriages, divorced women typically have difficulties earning sufficient income to maintain the household (Miller, Smerglia, Gaudet, & Kitson, 1998). Furthermore, divorced women who are typically the custodial parents of their children will even face greater challenges in juggling their multiple responsibilities as single parents (Fisher, Fagor, & Leve, 1998; Hetherington

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vorce. Jordan's (1996) study indicated that some divorced men were still unable to resolve their sense of betrayal and continued to feel attached to their spouses even ten years after the divorce. On the other hand, women, especially those who had left abusive marriages, were able to resolve their internal and external conflicts in order to attain a high level of happiness (Kitson & Holmes, 1992). Realized Strengths In spite of the negative effects of divorce cited by many studies, both divorced women and men have been successful in realizing untapped strengths as a result of their divorce. According to Hetherington (2002), a significant minority of women are able to transform their lives for the better after ending their marriage. These divorced women often return to school or the workforce in order to develop their dormant abilities and interests, thus enabling them to support their families financially. For women who had been in marriages that undermined their self-image or limited them to restrictive roles as wife or mother, divorce has liberated them from these limitations and enabled them to actualize their potential (p. 2). They also develop new supportive social networks that facilitate their adjustment from their
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