Social Support and Post-Divorce Adjustment in Highly Educated Women

Abstract

Social correlates of psychological adjustment were examined in a sample of 25 highly educated recently divorced women. Multiple dimensions of social support were assessed through interviews, questionnaires, diaries of social activity, and audiotape recordings of divorced women discussing a personal problem with a confidant. Three measures of psychological adjustment were employed: (a) the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale; (b) the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; and (c) the Profile of Mood States.

Various sources of social support were differentially associated with loneliness (Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale) and dysphoria (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and Profile of Mood States). Support from family members was related to the level of dysphoria, while the quality of relationships outside the family circle was related to the level of loneliness. Loneliness was more completely accounted for by social factors than was dysphoria (70% compared to 22%).

Dating satisfaction, support of the divorce from relatives, support of the divorce from friends, and positive affect during daily social encounters were associated with less loneliness or less dysphoria. In contrast, large social networks, a high proportion of divorced persons in the social network, and a high proportion of dominating questions by the confidant were associated with greater loneliness or greater dysphoria. While several behaviors of the confidant were perceived as supportive or comforting, none of them were related to how helpful the confidant was perceived to be in resolving a personal problem. Both self-report and behavioral data suggested that emotional support and acceptance were the most important functions of the social network.