The communication of support by close ties following divorce: An examination of impact
Abstract
This study explored the connection between social support following divorce and general well-being. Of particular concern were the contributions of the degree of interpersonal solidarity (relational intimacy) of the closest personal tie to overall well-being, and the potential support impact of the range/number of individuals mentioned in the personal network. A questionnaire sampling of one hundred and thirty-four recently divorced Northwest Indiana residents was utilized. The sample was drawn from county court records and forty-three percent of those contacted did respond. Results of the data analysis revealed that of all the independent variables assessed in this study, including income, education, number of children, age, range of friends and family support, and average helpfulness of the network, one variable accounted for a significant amount of variation in both the levels of life satisfaction and depression--the interpersonal solidarity of the closest interpersonal relationship of the respondent. Multiple regression procedures revealed a significant relationship between interpersonal solidarity and general life satisfaction, even when potentially influential personal resource and network variables were controlled. Likewise, a significant inverse relationship was found between interpersonal solidarity and depression level. No correlations even approaching significance were found for such potentially influential factors as range of contacts and number of close ties. This led to the general conclusion that for the recently divorced individual, the quantity of interpersonal ties/contact may not be nearly as significant as the quality of one or more close interpersonal ties.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Webb, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Communication|Sociology
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