Divorce in the United States is an extremely common phenomenon. According to current estimates, 50 to 67 percent of first marriages end in divorce. Second marriages have an even higher failure rate of between 60 to 77 percent (Gottman, 1998, p. 169). The high rate of divorce is considered a social problem because of the adverse impact on the psychological and physical well-being of the spouses. As Burman and Margolin pointed out (1992), the former spouses are more likely to suffer from physical and mental illnesses, get into automobile accidents, as well as engage in destructive behavior such as suicide and violence.
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 & Clingempeel, 1992). In the case of divorced men, particularly noncustodial fathers, divorce can exert a disruptive impact on their sense of identity with the loss of their roles as husbands and fathers. Their difficulties with performing these functions in postdivorce life can generate tremendous psychological stress (Stone, 2001).
Moreover, both divorced men and women also rely on different types of strategies to cope with their new situation. While many divorced women will be overwhelmed by ...