TY - JOUR

T1 - Mental health trajectories after juridical divorce

T2 - Does personality matter?

AU - Hald, Gert Martin

AU - Wimmelmann, Cathrine Lawaetz

AU - Overup, Camilla S.

AU - Cipric, Ana

AU - Sander, Soren

AU - Strizzi, Jenna Marie

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Introduction This study investigated whether the Big Five personality dimensions were associated with mental health trajectories and/or intervention effects of a digital divorce intervention from juridical divorce to 12 months following juridical divorce. The study utilized a randomized controlled trial study design (N = 676) and measured mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, somatization, and stress) at study inclusion (i.e., at juridical divorce) and 3-, 6-, and 12 months after juridical divorce. Big Five personality dimensions were measured 1 month post study inclusion. Results The study found that neuroticism is the personality dimension most predictive of post-divorce mental health outcomes. Specifically, divorcees with higher neuroticism scores indicated worse mental health immediately following divorce, but their symptom levels decreased more rapidly over a 12 months period after juridical divorce compared with lower neuroticism divorcees. It is also notable that their mean scores for the mental health outcomes remained higher at all time points (3, 6, and 12 months post baseline), relative to those lower in neuroticism. Conclusion Findings are discussed in light of divorce-adjustment-theory and the stress-buffering model.

AB - Introduction This study investigated whether the Big Five personality dimensions were associated with mental health trajectories and/or intervention effects of a digital divorce intervention from juridical divorce to 12 months following juridical divorce. The study utilized a randomized controlled trial study design (N = 676) and measured mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, somatization, and stress) at study inclusion (i.e., at juridical divorce) and 3-, 6-, and 12 months after juridical divorce. Big Five personality dimensions were measured 1 month post study inclusion. Results The study found that neuroticism is the personality dimension most predictive of post-divorce mental health outcomes. Specifically, divorcees with higher neuroticism scores indicated worse mental health immediately following divorce, but their symptom levels decreased more rapidly over a 12 months period after juridical divorce compared with lower neuroticism divorcees. It is also notable that their mean scores for the mental health outcomes remained higher at all time points (3, 6, and 12 months post baseline), relative to those lower in neuroticism. Conclusion Findings are discussed in light of divorce-adjustment-theory and the stress-buffering model.

KW - anxiety

KW - big five personality

KW - depression

KW - divorce

KW - somatization

KW - stress

KW - MAJOR LIFE EVENTS

KW - MODERATE REACTION

KW - DEPRESSION

KW - TRAITS

KW - ADAPTATION

KW - STRESS

KW - STABILITY

KW - MODELS

KW - SATISFACTION

KW - INDIVIDUALS

U2 - 10.1111/jopy.12737

DO - 10.1111/jopy.12737

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 35656740

VL - 91

SP - 426

EP - 440

JO - Journal of Personality

JF - Journal of Personality

SN - 0022-3506

IS - 2

ER -