A Phenomenological Understanding of Adjustment in Remarriage: From Individual Transition to Social Acceptance After Divorce
Keywords:
remarriage, marital adjustment, phenomenology, divorceAbstract
Objective: The present study aimed to develop a phenomenological understanding of adjustment in remarriage, from individual transition to social acceptance following divorce.
Methods and Materials: The present study employed a descriptive phenomenological design. The research field comprised all women with experience of remarriage who had referred to the Ofogh Mehr Counseling Center in Shahriar during 2023–2024 to receive family and marriage counseling services. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, and data saturation was achieved after the fifteenth interview. For initial screening, the Satisfaction With Life Scale (Diener et al., 1985), the ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale (Olson et al., 1989), and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (Spanier, 1976) were used. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s method, and the credibility of the findings was enhanced through peer review and member checking.
Findings: The phenomenological analysis resulted in the identification of six main themes and 21 subthemes, which were organized across the individual level (conscious transition and personality characteristics), marital level (communication skills and mutual support), family level (family acceptance and support), and social level (changes in societal attitudes).
Conclusion: Successful adjustment in remarriage results from the dynamic interaction among these four levels, extending from individual transformation to social support. The findings underscore the necessity of adopting a systemic approach in counseling and supportive interventions to enhance the stability and sustainability of remarriages
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