Breaking up. Breaking up. How specific characteristics of the divorce process interact with the wellbeing of ex-partners after divorce. 8 th meeting of the European Network for the Sociological and Demographic Studies of Divorce – oct.2010 Sara Symoens & Piet Bracke Ghent University

Introduction total divorce ratio for Belgium +-50% research on divorce and wellbeing: depression, anxiety, stress, life-satisfaction,… social-relational and socio-economic factors (stress- and coping th.) – for differences between the married and divorced – but how to explain remaining differences in adaptation within the group of the divorcees? impact of the divorce trajectory itself?

Impact of the divorce process Extending stress and coping theories with characteristics of the divorce process – indicators of time and duration Time since the divorce (chronic strain or stress?) Duration of the divorce process (-) – process-related indicators Initiation (+) Perception of fairness (division of goods) (+) Conflict (relief or strain?) – process related post–divorce indicators quality of the relationship with the ex-spouse (+)

Gender, divorce and mental health Women consistently report higher levels of distress, and lower levels of wellbeing Gender differential effects of characteristics of the divorce process? – Gender-role theories: id. of women << social relationships and how well they are able to form and maintain these id. of men << individualisation and personal achievement => gender differences for conflict, relationship-quality and initiation?

Research questions “What is the impact of the divorce process? Are quick divorces better? Does time heal? And what is the impact of initiation, conflict, or the (un)fairness of the division of goods? Can we detect ‘model’ trajectories? Or gender- differential effects?” In social research: one indicator, or ad-hoc Important for policy-makers!

Data – the ‘Divorce in Flanders’-project, – Multi-actor & divorce specific (preliminary) data – 1624 men & 1946 women, aged Data, methods & variables

Methods – Linear regression models, women and men separately – 2 analyses: (1) mental health differences married versus divorced, (2) mental health differences between divorcees – PASW 18.0.

Variables – Y= depression (CES-D8) & life-satisfaction (0-10) – X= time since divorce; duration of the legal procedure; initiation (yes-no); level of conflict during divorce (3 catn); perception of fairness (3 catn) & current relationship quality (3catn + no contact) – C = age; new partner; kids & education

MEN (25-60)WOMEN (25-60) depression (0-10)lifesatisfaction (0-10)depression (0-10)lifesatisfaction (0-10) Parameterp.e.sig.p.e.sig.p.e.sig.p.e.sig. Intercept1,322***8,079***1,662***8,082*** Divorced (married=ref.cat.)0,379***-0,234**0,53***-0,292*** Results 1. Differences in mental health by marital state

MEN (25-60)WOMEN (25-60) depression (0-10)lifesatisfaction (0-10)depression (0-10)lifesatisfaction (0-10) Parameterp.e.sig.p.e.sig.p.e.sig.p.e.sig. Intercept1,322***8,079***1,662***8,082*** Divorced (married=ref.cat.)0,379***-0,234**0,53***-0,292*** Intercept2,064***6,823***2,439***6,96*** Divorced (married=ref.cat.)0,0870,261**0,177*0,217** Partner (yes)-0,751***1,271***-0,792***1,143*** Results 1. Differences in mental health by marital state

Divorced men and women: worse mental health scores than the married on both depression and life-satisfaction. However, it is the absence of a partner, rather than the experience of the divorce. 2. Impact of the divorce process Conclusion 1

DIVORCED MEN (N=1139)DIVORCED WOMEN (N=1348) depression (0-10)lifesatisfaction (0-10)depression (0-10)lifesatisfaction (0-10) p.e.(s.e.)sig.p.e.(s.e.)sig.p.e.(s.e.)sig.p.e.(s.e.)sig. (Constant)1,741,350,0007,162,396,0002,293,436,0007,669,412,000 Time since D < 3yrs,465,164,005-,646,186,001-,178,182,328,036,172,837 Duration of process,008,003,016-,004,004,253,002,004,502,003,305 Initative (yes)-,053,092,566,225,104,031-,032,123,793,254,116,030 Goods fair divided Goods anti me,197,099,047-,143,112,203,387,109,000-,386,103,000 Goods pro me,260,182,154,119,206,565,180,158,256,049,149,745 Low divorce conflict High divorce conflict-,033,125,789-,054,141,701,262,142,062-,235,134,079 Med divorce conflict,042,107,694,090,121,454,123,114,279,102,108,344 Good quality relation ex no contact with ex-,046,116,695,129,131,326-,083,126,509,245,119,040 Bad quality relation ex,102,156,512,028,176,874,321,173,059-,151,163,355 OK quality relation ex,148,125,237-,213,142,134,052,138,705-,025,130,847 age,001,007,866-,002,007,832,000,008,956-,014,007,060 Partner in hh-,723,097,0001,242,109,000-,812,103,0001,083,097,000 Kids in hh-,001,095,989,108,314-,189,118,111,027,112,807 Education high Education low,129,119,277,072,134,590,401,133,003-,123,126,329 Education medium,019,104,853-,037,117,753,173,111,117-,114,104,275

DIVORCED MEN (N=1139)DIVORCED WOMEN (N=1348) depression (0-10)lifesatisfaction (0-10)depression (0-10)lifesatisfaction (0-10) p.e.sig.p.e.sig.p.e.sig.p.e.sig. (Constant)1,741***7,162***2,293***7,669*** Time since D < 3yrs,465*-,646***-,178,036 Duration of process,008**-,004,002,003 Initative (yes)-,053,225*-,032,254** Goods fair divided Goods anti me,197*-,143,387****-,386*** Goods pro me,260,119,180,049 Low divorce conflict High divorce conflict-,033-,054,262(*)-,235 Med divorce conflict,042,090,123,102 Good quality relation ex no contact with ex-,046,129-,083,245** Bad quality relation ex,102,028,321(*)-,151 OK quality relation ex,148-,213,052-,025 age,001-,002,000-,014(*) Partner in hh-,723***1,242***-,812***1,083*** Kids in hh-,001,108-,189,027 Education high Education low,129,072,401**-,123 Education medium,019-,037,173-,114

DIVORCED MEN (N=1139)DIVORCED WOMEN (N=1348) depression (0-10)lifesatisfaction (0-10)depression (0-10)lifesatisfaction (0-10) p.e.sig.p.e.sig.p.e.sig.p.e.sig. (Constant)1,741***7,162***2,293***7,669*** Time since D < 3yrs,465*-,646***-,178,036 Duration of process,008**-,004,002,003 Initative (yes)-,053,225*-,032,254** Goods fair divided Goods anti me,197*-,143,387****-,386*** Goods pro me,260,119,180,049 Low divorce conflict High divorce conflict-,033-,054,262(*)-,235 Med divorce conflict,042,090,123,102 Good quality relation ex no contact with ex-,046,129-,083,245** Bad quality relation ex,102,028,321(*)-,151 OK quality relation ex,148-,213,052-,025 age,001-,002,000-,014(*) Partner in hh-,723***1,242***-,812***1,083*** Kids in hh-,001,108-,189,027 Education high Education low,129,072,401**-,123 Education medium,019-,037,173-,114

DIVORCED MEN (N=1139)DIVORCED WOMEN (N=1348) depression (0-10)lifesatisfaction (0-10)depression (0-10)lifesatisfaction (0-10) p.e.sig.p.e.sig.p.e.sig.p.e.sig. (Constant)1,741***7,162***2,293***7,669*** Time since D < 3yrs,465*-,646***-,178,036 Duration of process,008**-,004,002,003 Initative (yes)-,053,225*-,032,254** Goods fair divided Goods anti me,197*-,143,387****-,386*** Goods pro me,260,119,180,049 Low divorce conflict High divorce conflict-,033-,054,262(*)-,235 Med divorce conflict,042,090,123,102 Good quality relation ex no contact with ex-,046,129-,083,245** Bad quality relation ex,102,028,321(*)-,151 OK quality relation ex,148-,213,052-,025 age,001-,002,000-,014(*) Partner in hh-,723***1,242***-,812***1,083*** Kids in hh-,001,108-,189,027 Education high Education low,129,072,401**-,123 Education medium,019-,037,173-,114

DIVORCED MEN (N=1139)DIVORCED WOMEN (N=1348) depression (0-10)lifesatisfaction (0-10)depression (0-10)lifesatisfaction (0-10) p.e.sig.p.e.sig.p.e.sig.p.e.sig. (Constant)1,741***7,162***2,293***7,669*** Time since D < 3yrs,465*-,646***-,178,036 Duration of process,008**-,004,002,003 Initative (yes)-,053,225*-,032,254** Goods fair divided Goods anti me,197*-,143,387****-,386*** Goods pro me,260,119,180,049 Low divorce conflict High divorce conflict-,033-,054,262(*)-,235 Med divorce conflict,042,090,123,102 Good quality relation ex no contact with ex-,046,129-,083,245** Bad quality relation ex,102,028,321(*)-,151 OK quality relation ex,148-,213,052-,025 age,001-,002,000-,014(*) Partner in hh-,723***1,242***-,812***1,083*** Kids in hh-,001,108-,189,027 Education high Education low,129,072,401**-,123 Education medium,019-,037,173-,114

2. Impact of the divorce process DIVORCED MEN (N=1139) DIVORCED WOMEN ( N=1348) depressionlifesatisfactiondepression (0-10)lifesatisfaction Sig. p.e. (Constant)+++ Time since divorce < 3 years Duration process+ Initiation++ Goods fair divided Goods anti me Goods pro me Low divorce conflict High divorce conflict(+) Medium divorce conflict Good quality relation ex Bad quality relation ex(+) Ok quality relation ex No contact with ex+ age(-) Partner in hh Kids in hh Education high Education low++ Education medium

2. Impact of the divorce process DIVORCED MEN (N=1139) DIVORCED WOMEN ( N=1348) depressionlifesatisfactiondepression (0-10)lifesatisfaction Sig. p.e. (Constant)+++ Time since divorce < 3 years Duration process+ Initiation++ Goods fair divided Goods anti me Goods pro me Low divorce conflict High divorce conflict(+) Medium divorce conflict Good quality relation ex Bad quality relation ex(+) Ok quality relation ex No contact with ex+ age(-) Partner in hh Kids in hh Education high Education low++ Education medium

Conclusion 2 All process-indicators have some impact, though a new partner remains very important Women: mental health mainly related to issues of relationship quality (conflict during divorce and current contact with ex). Men: wellbeing is more affected by circumstances involving power (taking the initiative) or facilitating closure (time since divorce, duration divorce process). Initiation and having no more contact: important for women to. So not clear cut. Indication that stress theories hold for men, but that chronic strain hypotheses are more relevant for women!

Limitations Crosssectional data, limited dataset Dyadic data-structure not used (for further analyses) Only first-divorcees included Further research needed on mediation, custody, …

Strenghts (a) focus on the impact of different characteristics of the divorce process (b) use of a divorce-specialized dataset, (c) two distinct indicators of mental health (depression as an indicator of distress, life satisfaction as an indicator of wellbeing), (d) some interesting conclusions on which further research can build.

Sara Symoens & Prof. Piet Bracke Ghent University, department of Sociology Korte Meer 5, 9000 Ghent BELGIUM