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Author: Mulvey, Cecilia F.
Resulting in 1 citation.
1. Mulvey, Cecilia F.
Divorce and Disability: The Experience of the Younger Cohorts in the National Longitudinal Survey
Ph.D. Dissertation, Syracuse University, 1989
Cohort(s): Young Men, Young Women
Publisher: UMI - University Microfilms, Bell and Howell Information and Learning
Keyword(s): Disability; Divorce; Health/Health Status/SF-12 Scale; Marital Status; Racial Differences

This dissertation explores the consequences of the process of divorce in terms of disability. From a longitudinal prospective design, these data made it possible to answer three questions. First, how does the health status of divorced persons compare with those who remain married. Second, what are the correlates of disability in each race-sex cohort, and third, when in relation to the divorce process is the onset of disability most frequently reported in each race-sex cohort. The data come from the Young Women and the Young Men cohorts of the NLS from 1966 through 1980. The indicator of health alteration that is available in the NLS data set is the question: "Does your health limit the kind or amount of work you can do?" This indicator of health alteration is particularly important to understanding many of the social/psychological consequences of divorce. The ability to work in American society is closely tied to status and social role achievement. The onset of a health condition that limits the individual's ability to work, at the same time that he/she has an increased need for more income and is undergoing multiple role changes associated with divorce, has important implications for social policy and for understanding fully the consequences of divorce. The descriptive data examine age, age at marriage, age at divorce, duration of marriage, number of children and other dependents, labor force history, income, education, as well as incidence of disability and timing of the disability in relation to the divorce. The main finding of the study is that women are at an increased risk of disability associated with the divorce process than men. Women are disadvantaged financially through the divorce process--a disadvantage that may result from or contribute to their higher rate of disability. The findings indicate that women, especially black women are an appropriate target forpreventive strategies.
Bibliography Citation
Mulvey, Cecilia F. Divorce and Disability: The Experience of the Younger Cohorts in the National Longitudinal Survey. Ph.D. Dissertation, Syracuse University, 1989.