Parting: The Aftermath of Separation and Divorce

Very little research has been done on the subject of divorce: an exception has been the rigorous research conducted since 1974 by Spanier and Thompson. Through the use of elaborate survey instruments and exploratory interviews, the researchers have provided critical empirical data concerning the process of marital break-up and its aftermath. They examine the reasons for separation, and the emotional, sexual, and social patterns that occur afterwards.

`Spanier and his colleagues have produced a highly readable report of their longitudinal research on marital seperation and divorce and on the process of moving into a subsequent marriage...(this is) perhaps the finest example of sociological research in the family field published in over a decade. Clinical sociologists will find the vast wealth of empirical findings and richly interwoven theoretical explanations a virtual gold mine.′ -- Clinical Sociological Review, Vol 3