Adjustment to Separation Among Former Cohabiters

Abstract

A series of hypothesized relationships between adjustment to separation and specified personality, demographic, and situational variables were investigated among 15 men and 35 women who had cohabited a minimum of three months and had since separated. Poorer adjustment was associated with a more traditional sex role orientation, greater discrepancies between self and ideal self, a less satisfying postseparation relationship with one's ex-partner, fewer and less use cf social supports, greater postseparation employment difficulties, and one's partner having initiated the decision to separate. Significant sex differences were found in attitudes toward the cohabiting relationship and its ending. The most useful explanatory concepts in interpreting thc data are the ability 10 control and anticipate life change events, and the persistence of emotional attachment bonds between separating intimates.