J Korean Gerontol Nurs.  2021 May;23(2):129-139. 10.17079/jkgn.2021.23.2.129.

Changes in Adaptation after Divorce over Time among Korean Older Adults: Focusing on Sex Differences

• Kim YJ

• KMID: 2540553
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.17079/jkgn.2021.23.2.129

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose was to provide basic data for intervention methods to divorced older adults in the respect of nursing and social welfare. This research tried to verify adaptation over time after divorce among them paying special attention to sex differences. The data for analysis were the from 2014year, 2017year, and 2019year by the Korea Welfare Panel Study (KoWePS).
Methods
The subjects of this research are 234 divorced persons out of 3,198 who were 65 or over and included in the KoWePS as of 2014. Using the SPSS 21.0 version, this research did frequency, x² test, t-test, ANCOVA and repeated measured ANOVA.
Results
First, in the short-term, females were better in at adjusting to divorced conditions than males. Second, there was no sex difference in adaptation after divorce over time. Rather, it was found that the effects of adaptation scores 5 years ago on the scores now were all significant. Females were found to be able to adjust themselves over time in various areas better than males.
Conclusion
This research demonstrates that, while female seniors are able to adjust themselves to post-divorce life better than males, males also can adjust themselves to changed conditions positively over time, although more slowly. Moreover, the adaptation levels immediately after divorce are more important in deciding the current levels of adaptation than sex differences. Thus, the adaptation improvement programs for divorced adults should be given in the early stages after divorce and such programs need to be more actively developed and supplied for male divorcees.

Keyword

종단연구; 이혼; 성; 적응; 노인; Longitudinal study; Divorce; Sex; Adaptation; Older adults