Divorce,Stress and Social Supports

This paper considers variations in the use of social supports among persons who are in the process of divorcing. Three hundred and ten men and women aged 20 to 79 were interviewed. Most frequently turned to for help were friends, spouse, and counselors. Men and older respondents were found to seek out supports less frequently than women and younger respondents. Ethnicity and education influenced the pattern more than the frequency of support utilization. For all respondents, perceptions of the degree of stress evoked by the divorce appeared to be a major force behind the use of social supports.