Divorce Decision-Making and the Divine
- Bell, Natasha K. [ Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, USA ]
- Harris, Steven M. [ Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, USA ]
- Crabtree, Sarah A. [ Department of Family Social Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, USA ]
- Allen, Sarah M. [ Montana State University: Health & Human Development ]
- Roberts, Kelley M. [ Department of Educational Psychology, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA ]
There is a well-established literature dedicated to why couples divorce, transitions associated with divorce, and the impact of divorce on families. However, little is known about the divorce decision-making process. We conducted in-depth interviews with individuals who have recently considered divorce (n = 30) and asked specifically about the roles of 2 concepts in their decision-making process: clarity and confidence. Three major themes emerged from the data: (a) Clarity about a decision to divorce or stay married is desired, it fluctuates, and takes time to find; (b) pivotal moments can bring clarity; and (c) confidence (in the final decision) is desired. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.