Development of A Causal Model of Post-Divorce Adjustment Based on Social and Psychological Factors in Divorced Women in Shiraz, Iran

Divorce brings emotional separation and psychological pressures for most women, which requires the most changes for re-adaptation in these people. Therefore, the purpose of the present research was to determine and develop a structural model of adjustment after divorce based on social and psychological factors in divorced women in Shiraz.

The present descriptive correlational study was conducted in Shiraz city in 2018. The statistical population of the study included all divorced women who were divorced for at least two years and were not remarried. 416 samples were selected through available sampling from fifteen psychological clinics under the supervision of welfare and family courts. Moreover, they were evaluated through Fisher's post-divorce adjustment questionnaires, Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Questionnaire, Bell's Social Adjustment Questionnaire, Adult Attachment Style Questionnaire, Neo Short Form Five-Factor Personality Questionnaire, and Emotion Cognitive Regulation Strategies Questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation, multiple regression and Fisher's statistical tests.

The results indicated that the variables of perceived support, attachment styles and personality traits through the variables of cognitive regulation of emotion and social adjustment had a significant effect on adjustment after divorce (p<.05). Unreconciled emotion regulation had a negative and significant effect on post-divorce adjustment (p<.05). The adjusted emotion regulation variable had a positive and significant effect on post-divorce adjustment directly and indirectly through social adjustment (p<.05). Finally, the social adjustment variable had a positive and significant effect on post-divorce adjustment (p<.05). Social adjustment was the strongest predictor of adjustment after divorce (0.63) than personality traits (0.59). Secure attachment style had the greatest effect on post-divorce adjustment through compromised emotion regulation (0.26). Furthermore, the personality trait of neuroticism had the greatest impact on post-divorce adjustment through compromised emotion regulation (0.52). Friends' support through social adjustment had the greatest effect on post-divorce adjustment (0.43). Planning strategy through social adjustment had the greatest impact on post-divorce adjustment (0.34). The mentioned variables explain a total of 65% of the variance of adjustment after divorce.

The structural model revealed that some social and psychological factors were able to predict adjustment after divorce, and the results of the present study can be studied and be useful for counseling clinics, psychology and other institutions that are responsible for the health of society.