Friend or foe? Postdivorce hostility among recently divorced individuals
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Friend or foe? Postdivorce hostility among recently divorced individuals. / Kjeld, Simone G.; Strizzi, Jenna M.; Øverup, Camilla S.; Cipric, Ana; Sander, Søren; Hald, Gert M.
In: Aggressive Behavior, Vol. 46, No. 6, 2020, p. 523-534.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Friend or foe? Postdivorce hostility among recently divorced individuals
AU - Kjeld, Simone G.
AU - Strizzi, Jenna M.
AU - Øverup, Camilla S.
AU - Cipric, Ana
AU - Sander, Søren
AU - Hald, Gert M.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - High levels of hostility often occur during and postdivorce and may significantly affect the quality of life, parent–child relationships, and social functioning of divorcees. Moreover, hostility may predict aggressive and violent behavior. This study sought to (a) compare average general hostility levels of a large sample of Danish divorcees to the norms of the general adult Danish population, (b) compare general hostility levels between male and female divorcees, and (c) investigate the explanatory value of various sociodemographic and divorce-related factors on postdivorce general hostility and whether these factors differ across gender. Cross-sectional baseline data (N = 1,856) from a larger randomized controlled trial study was used in this study. Normative data from a general sample of Danish adults (N = 2,040) was used for comparisons of hostility levels between our study sample and the Danish background population. This study found that male and female divorcees did not report significantly different hostility levels. However, participants reported significantly higher hostility levels postdivorce than the comparative Danish norm sample. Significant predictors of postdivorce hostility were lower age, lower educational level, infidelity as a reason for divorce, higher degree of postdivorce conflict, worse communication with the former spouse, the former spouse as the initiator of the divorce, and new partner status with neither divorcees having a new partner, or only the former spouse having a new partner. The predictive strength of the factors did not differ across gender. The findings may be especially relevant for interventions targeting problematic outcomes postdivorce (e.g., preventing aggressive behavior).
AB - High levels of hostility often occur during and postdivorce and may significantly affect the quality of life, parent–child relationships, and social functioning of divorcees. Moreover, hostility may predict aggressive and violent behavior. This study sought to (a) compare average general hostility levels of a large sample of Danish divorcees to the norms of the general adult Danish population, (b) compare general hostility levels between male and female divorcees, and (c) investigate the explanatory value of various sociodemographic and divorce-related factors on postdivorce general hostility and whether these factors differ across gender. Cross-sectional baseline data (N = 1,856) from a larger randomized controlled trial study was used in this study. Normative data from a general sample of Danish adults (N = 2,040) was used for comparisons of hostility levels between our study sample and the Danish background population. This study found that male and female divorcees did not report significantly different hostility levels. However, participants reported significantly higher hostility levels postdivorce than the comparative Danish norm sample. Significant predictors of postdivorce hostility were lower age, lower educational level, infidelity as a reason for divorce, higher degree of postdivorce conflict, worse communication with the former spouse, the former spouse as the initiator of the divorce, and new partner status with neither divorcees having a new partner, or only the former spouse having a new partner. The predictive strength of the factors did not differ across gender. The findings may be especially relevant for interventions targeting problematic outcomes postdivorce (e.g., preventing aggressive behavior).
KW - divorce
KW - hostility
KW - marital dissolution
KW - norm data
KW - postdivorce
U2 - 10.1002/ab.21918
DO - 10.1002/ab.21918
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 32710485
AN - SCOPUS:85088386137
VL - 46
SP - 523
EP - 534
JO - Aggressive Behavior
JF - Aggressive Behavior
SN - 0096-140X
IS - 6
ER -
ID: 245892282