Changes in the Self-Concepts of Divorced Women

Finding “Me” Again: Women's Postdivorce Identity Shifts

“…Most of the women in our study appear to have progressed into this stage, as our findings in each of the three areas demonstrate. Related to these feelings of self-sufficiency, the women in our sample reported feeling as if they were different, better women following the divorce, findings that are consistent with research conducted by Baum et al (2005). Our findings in the area of postdivorce physical appearance, especially, support this idea.…”

“…It is because of the need to reorganize roles and examine their identity that divorced women are able to grow and become individuals (Lund, 1990). In their research with 70 divorced Israeli women, Baum et al (2005) found that 83 percent of their participants reported being more independent since their divorce. They concluded that role ambiguity and a lack of anticipatory socialization for their new role as a divorced person presented opportunities for change, "but also force[d] divorced women to take charge of their lives, facilitate[d] (or forces) them to develop parts of their personality that were unknown to them, and to move from dependence to independence" (p. 59).…”

Youth crime and family disruption in Canadian municipalities: An adaptation of Shaw and McKay’s social disorganization theory

“…Second, divorce may be a solution to some marital problems including interpersonal conflict. Third, research studies have found that divorce has some positive outcomes such as positive self-concepts in women, gender equality, increased friendship contacts, women's employment, and maturity and growth in children (Baum et al, 2005;Hou and Omwanda, 1997;Kalmijn and van Groenou, 2005;Sever et al, 2007;Yodanis, 2005).…”

Perspectives on Marital Dissolution

“…The shift in perspectives towards divorce inspires changes to family law legislation pertaining to marital dissolution (Beck-Gernsheim 2002). Though there have been research studies reporting on the favourable consequences of divorce (McNamara and Morrison 1982;Cherlin 1992;Kitson 1992;Amato 1994Amato , 2000Marks 1996;Rahav and Baum 2002;Baum et al 2005;Clarke-Stewart and Brentano 2006;Gregson and Ceynar 2009;Quah 2013b), these studies form only a subset of a field dominated by research focusing on the adverse outcomes of divorce. This relaxation of divorce laws further reinforces the normalisation and destigmatisation of divorce (Beck-Gernsheim 2002).…”

“…Such a life-changing decision requires substantial courage and willpower as it jolts individuals out of a familiar reality and calls for them to act against conventions and organise their lives on their own without any former socialisation or normative guidelines to rely on (Baum et al 2005;Gregson and Ceynar 2009). This pivotal move marks the beginning of a divorce biography where they embark on a journey to disentangle themselves from their previous identities as a married person, wife and daughter-inlaw, assume a new social identity as a divorced person and in some cases, a single parent as well, and adjust their lifestyles and living condition according to their new circumstances.…”