Factors Causing Divorce and its Psychological and Social Impact on the Divorced Woman

دراسة حالات

Abstract

This research aimed to identify the factors that lead to divorce, and its psychological and social effects on the divorced women. To achieve the research objectives, the case study approach was adopted. A codified-open interview was conducted to collect data on the phenomenon of divorce and its effects on (5) cases of divorced women in the Libyan society. The results of the study revealed that divorce causes included: husband’s aggression,  frequent  disputes with wife, husband’s use of narcotic substances, presence of other women in husband’s life, husband’s long time stay outside home, emotional divorce, family interference , and weakness of husband’s personality, not sharing sleeping bed, weakness of  husband’s sexual ability, humiliation of wife, lack of psychological security with the husband,  husband’s nervousness, restriction of wife’s freedom, and marriage at an early age. It was found that divorce has psychological effects on the divorced woman, including: depression, anxiety, social isolation, psychological loneliness, mental distraction, alienation, forgetfulness, susceptibility to trauma, crying for trivial reasons, fear of the future, feeling inferior, ruminating over painful experiences, pessimism, sleep and eating disorder, constant tension, suicidal desire, feelings of loss of love, loss of enjoyment of enjoyable activities of others, social shame, despair, psychological conflict, suppression of painful experiences, psychological stress. It was also found that divorce has social effects on divorced woman, including: contempt, fear of divorced woman, avoiding marriage with her again, referring to her as a failure, imposing strict restrictions on her life, exposing her to malicious rumors, referring to her as a dissolving and selfish, sexual harassment. This often leads to her loss of social and emotional support, lack of empathy, avoiding marrying her sisters, doubting her morals, marginalizing, and loss of confidence. Finally, the research presented a theoretical view that explains the phenomenon of divorce and its effects.

Key words: Divorce, Emotional divorce, Culture, Psychological effects of divorce, Social effects of divorce, Male culture.