Factors associated with change in divorced and separated persons attending a didactic seminar

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to determine the relationship between selected personality and demographic variables and change exhibited by divorced and separated persons attending a seminar. One objective of the study was to determine if significant differences existed between divorced and separated, males and females, and treatment and control groups on each of four criterion measures. Another objective was to develop a regression model for change on each of the four criteria to determine which variables were more highly related to change on a particular criterion. The subjects in the study were 64 participants in a four-week didactic seminar for divorced and separated persons held in a large metropolitan church. A control group consisting of 30 divorced and separated persons who did not attend the seminar was utilized. The Es scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, the Attitude Statement Survey, and Profile of Mood States were administered to seminar participants at the first session and to the non-treatment control. Demographic data were also collected at this time. The Es scale of the MMPI and the Profile of Mood States was re-administered to both groups at the end of the treatment period in order to derive gain scores. Independent sample ;t tests were used to investigate differences based on sex, marital status, and group membership in mean gain scores on the Es scale and the Tension/Anxiety, Anger/Hostility, and Depression/ Dejection Scales of the Profile of Mood States. Multiple regression analysis was used to develop a regression equation for the gain scores on each criterion variable. Results indicated that no significant differences existed between males and females, divorced and separated, or treatment and control groups on any of the criterion measures. Multiple regression analysis produced significant models for changes in Es scale (p < .001), Tension/Anxiety (p < .05), and Depression/Dejection (p < .05). The model derived for changes in the Anger/Hostility scale was not found to be significant (p > .05). Several of the predictor variables were found to be significantly correlated to the criterion measures...