Religion in the meaning-making and coping experiences of Christian female divorcées

Abstract

This study was motivated by limited literature available on the role of religion in coping and meaning-making post-divorce. This interpretive -phenomenological study focused on the role of religion in the processes mid-life aged women employ to overcome the impact of their divorce that was caused by spousal infidelity. The meaning-making coping model of Park and Folkman, (1997) was central to the study. Seven Afrikaans speaking Christian divorcees were recruited. These participants grew up in a culture characterised by patriarchy and conservative religious values. In-depth interviews provided rich data which were analysed according to interpretive phenomenological analytic (IPA) principles. Findings highlight the salient role of religion in the participants' adjustment post-divorce. Participants' religious and cultural beliefs were fundamentally shaken by their divorce and findings describe their challenging journey of adjusting their beliefs and finding new meaning in life.