Lived experiences of divorced men in the Kingdom of Eswatini

Abstract

Divorce is a significant life stressor that negatively impacts on the holistic wellness of divorced individuals. In an African, socio-cultural and patriarchal society, in particular the Kingdom of Eswatini, the pressure on men to exhibit characteristics of hegemonic masculinity are prevalent. The aim of this study was to understand and explore the lived experiences of divorced men in the Kingdom of Eswatini. This was a phenomenological qualitative research that used interviews to explore the lived experiences of divorced men. The study utilised non-probabilistic methods of snowballing and purposive sampling to select the study participants. The study sample constituted of 12 divorced men, 27 years and older, married for a minimum of 3 years and more prior to the divorce. The data was analysed using thematic data analysis. Four main themes namely (1) divorce stressors, (2) impact of divorce, (3) coping strategies, and (4) personal analysis of the divorce process, emerged in the study. Societal and religious perceptions, emotional and financial stressors were sub-themes identified in theme 1. Health and wellness, and the family unit dynamics emerged as sub-themes for theme 2. Adaptive coping and maladaptive coping emerged as sub-themes for theme 3. Contributory factors and emotional awareness emerged as sub-themes for theme 4. Furthermore, narratives on the implications of the process of divorce on self and others were captured. The emergence of the different themes has enriched the study and brought depth into understanding the participants’ experience of divorce, its stressors, impact, coping and its process thereof. In conclusion, it is worth noting that while some men recover from the divorce experience and are able to cope with the negative impact of divorce, there are those who emotionally struggle to return to their optimum level of functioning prior to the divorce.