Variables Associated with Resilience in Divorced Families

The present study focuses on the salutogenicproperties of post-divorce families andattempts to identify factors that promoteresilience and family well-being. Within thesalutogenic paradigm the focus is on positivecharacteristics and strengths that contributetowards the growth and development of a system.Family coherence is used as an indication ofthe level of recovery after the crisis, and isused as the dependent measure with regard tothe present well-being of the family. Across-sectional survey research design wasused. The 98 participating families wereidentified on the grounds of the nature of thecrisis (divorce) and the developmental phase ofthe family. An open-ended question and thefollowing self-report questionnaires werecompleted by the parent and a child: abiographical questionnaire, the Relative andFriend Support Index, the Social Support Index,Family Crises Oriented Personal EvaluationScales, Family Sense of Coherence Scale, andthe Family Hardiness Index. Results show thatintra-family support, support of the extendedfamily, support of friends, religion, opencommunication amongst family members, and workand financial security were factors promotingresilience in these families.