A study into the long-term impacts of a mid-life divorce or separation has found Australian woman could return to pre-separation levels of life satisfaction in less than four years with appropriate support.
Researchers from the University of South Australia (UniSA) and the University of Adelaide said social support, perceived control, and income satisfaction influenced how well women adjusted after their relationships dissolved.
Lead author, UniSA clinical psychology master’s student Olivia Arcangeli, said that divorce and separation were among the most stressful experiences of adulthood, yet little was known about the impact of later-life relationship dissolution.
Ms Arcangeli said while finances could be a struggle and personal happiness declined in the short term, the study found it gradually increased within a few years, often exceeding pre-divorce levels.
She said the study tracked over 1400 women who had divorced or separated, comparing them with a control group of over 2500 women who remained in long-term relationships.
“When long-term relationships end during midlife (age 45-50), people still have decades ahead of them, but also less time to re-establish themselves financially and in other ways.
“We found that within three to four years, divorced and separated women returned to their pre-dissolution levels of life satisfaction. This contrasts with a similar study in Germany, which showed that women still had not returned to pre-divorce levels of happiness five to six years after their relationship ended.”
Ms Arcangeli said the difference between the two countries may be attributed to more lenient attitudes towards divorce in Australia, where there was far less stigma around divorce than in Germany.
She said women with strong support networks, a sense of control over their lives, and a greater ability to manage on their available income reported higher life satisfaction post separation.
“Unlike previous research on men and women, this study did not find re-partnering to improve life satisfaction levels post-divorce for Australian women.
Ms Arcangeli said it was possible that the benefits of re-partnering were more likely to be seen in men.
She said, in addition, despite an assumption that children presented significant emotional and financial challenges for divorcees, the study showed minimal differences in happiness levels post-divorce between women with and without children.
“The findings highlight the need for targeted support services for middle-aged women going through divorce and separation.
“Providing access to counselling, financial advice and social support networks could help women navigate the emotional and economic challenges of separation more effectively, making a big difference to their long-term wellbeing.”
Read the full study: Does Time Heal All Wounds? Life Satisfaction Trajectories in Australian Middle-Aged Women Before and After Relationship Dissolution.
