The Distress and the Meaning Making of Divorced Abused Arab Women in Israel

Women’s divorce in the Arab society in Israel goes against patriarchal social values. The aim of this research is to explore the meaning that abused Arab women gave to their divorce. The present study based on interviews with 13 women, who had been divorced for 2 to 5 years. Analysis revealed that the women perceived their coping as navigation between the cost of stigma and familial and social distress, and the gains of their connection to sources of strength and self-worth. The discussion based on the interviewees’ existential experience their self-identity as meaning makers and choosers.     

Adaptation to Divorce: An Attachment-Based Intervention with Long-Term Divorced Parents

ABSTRACT

The aim of this attachment-based intervention was to elaborate, through shared narratives in a divorce recovery group, a representation of the events, the self, and the relationship that contribute to a better adaptation to the situation of divorce. After an 8-month intervention, participants felt better (negative affect was reduced and positive affect was increased) and less lonely (scores in both social and romantic loneliness decreased). Participants were also rated as more secure after the intervention. These findings suggest positive changes in the model of self following the intervention.     

Child-Rearing Effectiveness of Divorced Mothers:

The association of coping strategies and social sup- port to maternal distress and parenting style was investigated. Inter- views were conducted with 58 divorced mothers of preschool chil- dren. Results indicated that use of active behavioral and cognitive coping strategies was associated with feelings of control in child- rearing situations and with authoritative parenting. Reliance on cop- ing strategies that involved distancing, escape/avoidance, and social support was associated with symptoms of distress. Availability of family members for social support was generally associated with less authoritative parenting behavior, but also with less distress. Availability of friends was related to more authoritative behavior, but more distress. Coping and social support by friends contributed significantly to authoritativeness and distress beyond the variance contributed by mothers' education, financial stability, time since separation, and geographical region.     

Paving the Way for A Normal Life: A Qualitative Study of Coping Strategies Among Iranian Divorced Women

Regarding the devastating aftermath of divorce among Iranian divorced women, which is mainly affected by sociocultural factors, this qualitative study was conducted to explore their applied strategies in reorganizing their lives. Data collection started through deep unstructured interviews followed by semistructured interviews with 18 divorced women who were chosen by purposive sampling from mental health clinics, social work centers, or available cases. Gathered data were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis method. Two main themes—behaviors of self-preservation and abstinence and struggling for balance—emerged. Subcategories were concealing the divorce, feminine self-restriction, avoidance behaviors, replacement of losses, seeking support, role development, handling the tensions, and defending oneself against the divorce failure. This study provides comprehensive knowledge of how Iranian divorced women reregulate their lives and also highlights their unique and culture-based coping strategies. Therefore, it provides specialists with a context-specific foundation for mental health care and enables them to intervene more effectively.     

Correlates of Psychosocial Adjustment in Adolescents From Divorced Families

The study was designed to identify the factors which predict psychological adjustment among 15 to 18-year-old adolescents whose parents have divorced. Psychosocial adjustment was assessed by the Youth Self Report (Achenbach, 1978, 1991). Predictors included the type of custody arrangement, the psychological adjustment of the custodial parent, factors affecting the adolescent's relationship with the non-custodial parent, demographic characteristics, stressful life events during the two years following the divorce, availability of social support, and family adaptability and cohesion. New York City high school students from divorced (n = 221) and intact (n = 215) families completed the survey instrument. Results indicated that the adjustment of adolescents from divorced families was related positively to the psychological adjustment of the custodial parent, the availability of social support, and family adaptability and cohesion. Adolescent adjustment was related negatively to the degree to which the parents displayed anger or physical abuse before and after the separation, and to the number of stressful life changes following the divorce. The factors predicting the adjustment of adolescents from intact families were similar.     

Violence Against Separated,Divorced, and Married Women in Canada, 2004

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine violence against separated, divorced, and married women using Statistics Canada's 2004 Statistics Canada. 2004. Divorces. The Daily, May 4: 1–5.  [Google Scholar] General Social Survey. Based on a subsample of 6,716 heterosexual women (429 separated; 614 divorced; 5,673 married), available risk markers were examined in the context of a nested ecological framework. Consistent with past research, the results indicated that there may be differences in the dynamics of violence across the 3 groups. Separated women reported 7 times the prevalence of violence and divorced women reported twice the prevalence of violence than married women in the year prior to the study. Young age was an important predictor of violence for separated and divorced women. Unemployment and the presence of children of the ex-partner were important predictors for divorced women. Patriarchal domineering and sexually proprietary behaviors were strong predictors of violence for married women. The results suggested the possibility that motives for postseparation violence tend to differ depending on whether one is separated or divorced. Future research is warranted to uncover these potentially differing dynamics of risk.     

Economic Self-Sufficiency Among Divorced Women: Impact of Depression,Abuse, and Efficacy

Understanding how to promote economic self-sufficiency, or the ability to sustain oneself financially, has important implications for programs that help support divorced and separated women and for government agencies hoping to reduce reliance on government aid. The following analysis focuses specifically on divorced and separated women utilizing services from agencies geared toward helping people with financial, career, and other forms of assistance. This study identifies factors that promote or hinder economic self-sufficiency among divorced women. Regression analysis indicates that age, economic self-efficacy, abuse, and difficulty living on income are important indicators of economic self-sufficiency.     

Spirituality for Building Resilience in Children of Divorced Parents: A Cross-Country Experimental Study

Based on a post-test experimental study of 1,893 children of divorced parents across 15 countries, I examine influence of a spiritual education program (SEP) on their resilience building. I have used 4 scales to study the resilience and strengths of the treatment group children. Results of the analysis of variance and t test showed that treatment group children scored better on the scales compared to the control group. Through 4 structural equation models, I show that the scores of the treatment group children were influenced by parenting arrangements, economic class, SEP, and self-practice. Children who lived with single parents or had nonresident cooperative coparenting arrangements scored higher on the scales vis-à-vis those who had custodial and frequently conflicting coparenting arrangements or those whose parents had repartnered and they had stepparents. Upper middle-class children responded better to SEP than their elite class counterparts. Further, treatment group children who did 2 or 3 rounds of the SEP during the course of the study vis-à-vis once, and those who said that they self-practiced the program lessons regularly scored higher on the scales. The findings highlight the importance of spiritually sensitive interventions for resilience building of children of divorced parents.     

Gender Role Orientation of Divorced Women as Related to Body Satisfaction and Interest in Work Clothing

Abstract

This study examined whether divorced women's gender role orientation is related to interest in work clothing and satisfaction with physical appearance. Extremely non-traditional divorced women showed greater concerns about modesty and less interest in looking sexually attractive in their work dress. Divorced women's marital experience was found to be related to body satisfaction and interest in work clothing. The relationships among marital experience, body satisfaction, and interest in work clothing deserve further research to better understand the impact of divorce on one's perception of the self and appearance management behavior. Suggestions are made for practitioner application of the findings.     

Coparenting in Intact and Divorced Families: Its Impact on Young Adult Adjustment

ABSTRACT

This study examined the potential mediating roles of coparenting and parenting practices on the relationship between marital status and young adult adjustment in intact and divorced or separated families. Participants were 340 undergraduate students from intact and divorced or separated families who completed questionnaires that tapped a range of adjustment factors (mental health, fear of intimacy, work ethic, self-esteem, delinquency) along with coparenting and parenting practices. Data were analyzed via structural equation modeling. Results suggest that coparenting and parenting practices, including parental hostility, parental cooperation, mothering, and fathering, are important partial mediators of the relationship between marital status and young adult adjustment. Intervention and legal implications are discussed.     

Perception of Identity Threat as the Main Disturbance of Iranian Divorced Women: A Qualitative Study

Postdivorce identity challenges can be experienced differently in societies that underline the lack of normalcy of divorce. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore Iranian divorced women’s perceptions of their identities. A qualitative content analysis method was applied. Participants included 18 divorced women recruited based on purposive sampling. Data were gathered using unstructured interviews, and analyzed via content analysis method. Three categories—stigmatization, separation shock, and remarriage paradox—were extracted, and the main theme was identity threat. Findings illustrate that Iranian divorced women can be considered at risk, and hence, understanding their views is vital for developing context-specific preventive and intervention programs.     

Divorce and Emerging Adult and Young Women: Building Foundations for Self-Development

Informed by consensual qualitative research methodology, the experiences of nine divorced emerging and young adult women were analyzed. Prior to marriage, themes of feeling unmoored, in transition, and without an anchor shaped their narratives. Lack of self-reflection and evaluation predisposed the participants to making decisions based on partial and “convenient” truths. Unfolding processes led the majority of the women to revisit their premarital selves, engage with the emotional work that was deferred, and build foundations that were growth enhancing. Implications for counselors and related professionals are discussed.     

The relative centrality of life domains among Jews and Arabs in Israel: the effect of culture,ethnicity, and demographic variables

The centrality of major life domains (work, family community leisure and religion) have not, to date, been studied among Arabs in Israel. This paper examines life domains centrality of 909 Jews and 286 Arabs (or Palestinians that have Israeli citizenship), who work in the Israeli labor market. The findings reveal significant differences in the importance of all life domains. Work centrality, as well as the importance of religion and community is significantly higher among Arabs than among Jews. Among Jews, the importance of family and leisure are significantly higher than among Arabs. A hierarchical regression analysis indicates that demographic variables have a low ability to explain the differences in the centrality of life domains among Jews and Arabs. The findings can be explained by cultural differences, the high degree of segregation, occupational discrimination, and mainly by the regional Palestinian/Arab-Israeli conflict.     

Fatherhood: Comparison Between Divorced Custodial Fathers,Married Fathers,and Divorced Non-Custodial Fathers in Israel

Paternal involvement and acceptance were compared among 218 custodial fathers, 222 married fathers, and 105 divorced noncustodial fathers. Findings show that the custodial fathers were more involved with their children, coordinated less with their children’s mother, and viewed their children as more difficult than the other fathers. Two regression analyses were conducted. One revealed that greater paternal involvement was predicted by greater self-differentiation, greater sense of having received care from one’s own father, and a less avoidant caregiving disposition. The other showed that greater paternal acceptance was predicted by greater self-differentiation, greater sense of having received care from one’s own father, and a less anxious caregiving disposition. Finally, the findings show that coparenting, social support, and sense of the child as difficult moderated the associations between the fathers’ personal variables and their involvement, but not their acceptance.     

Pedophiles in the Ultra-Orthodox Haredi Sector in Israel: Thought Processes Regarding their Actions

ABSTRACT

This study explores thought patterns of Jewish Ashkenazi Ultra-Orthodox pedophiles in Israel and how they resolve the contradiction between their commitment to Jewish Law and having committed sexual offenses against minors. Ten adult men participated in this study. Using open semistructured interviews, their cognitive distortions before, during, and after the abuse were examined. Content analysis revealed that participants used cognitive distortions based on their own world of Jewish Law and social-cultural values. The insular nature of Ultra-Orthodox society and its many prohibitions, especially regarding sexuality, tempted offenders to test boundaries. When sexual drive was high, internal control mechanisms were ineffective even in presence of external control mechanisms. Some participants recognized the contradiction between their behaviors and being Ultra-Orthodox Jews, and others did not. Based on the findings, a flow chart was devised describing the cognitive processes of Jewish Ultra-Orthodox pedophiles. Theoretical and practical implications of the results were examined.     

Agency of preservation or change: ultra-Orthodox educated women in the field of employment

ABSTRACT

Within the last two decades, significant changes have been taking place in ultra-Orthodox society in Israel regarding higher education and entry into the workforce. This study examines the socio-religious identity of educated ultra-Orthodox women in light of their entry into the workforce. Findings show that although these women are leading a process of academic and occupational changes in the ultra-Orthodox community, they actually function as agents of preservation, and attest to a rise in their level of religiosity, despite the changes in their lives. Most of them continue to maintain the core values of Ultra-Orthodox society, especially the ideal of a ‘society of scholars’. They do reveal some openness towards the world, but in a limited and controlled manner.     

Mate Selection and Marriage Decision in Bicultural Society: Modern Orthodox Society in Israel

This article addresses courtship and mate selection patterns of young adults who belong to two parallel cultures: traditional and modern. In-depth interviews with 36 Modern-Orthodox Jewish men and women during their first year of marriage reveal unique considerations for mate selection and the dynamic flow between cultural systems. The findings show that dating is marriage-oriented but within a modern context. Although the study participants used modern tools and concepts, the marriage decision itself was bound to strict social norms and traditional expectations. The decision was based largely on rational reasoning, whereas love and personal needs were rarely discussed. The findings highlight the challenges faced by couples with bicultural identity in their transition to matrimony and can support professionals in addressing these conflicts.     

Challenges for Divorced Parents: Regulating Negative Emotions in Post‐Divorce Relationships

Emotion regulation processes in post‐divorce parental relationships are analysed using thematic qualitative analysis. In two separate interview episodes, three and five years post‐divorce, 55 people were interviewed: 10 couples and 35 individuals. Two themes emerged on how parents deal with their negative emotions after divorce. The first theme, emotion regulation flexibility, reveals how some parents effectively regulate negative emotions following the divorce. The second theme, emotion regulation rigidity, reveals that other parents retain feelings of anger, hostility, and resentment following the divorce as a consequence of dysfunctional emotion regulation strategies. This allows a deeper understanding of the processes of emotion regulation in family conflict, which may be easily applied in most therapeutic orientations.