BLACK MENS PERCEPTIONS OF DIVORCE-RELATED STRESSORS AND STRATEGIES FOR COPING WITH DIVORCE - AN EXPLORATORY-STUDY

The divorce rate among Blacks in the United States has increased signi ficantly in recent years. Consequently, an increasing number of Black men confront problems associated with adjusting to divorce. Using data from in-depth interviews, we identify factors that working-class/midd le-class Black men perceive to cause significant stress following divo rce and we examine strategies that they use to reestablish their lives . The results show that Black men confront the following divorce-relat ed stressors: (a) financial strain, (b) noncustodial parenting, (c) ch ild-support stressors, and (d) psychological as well as physiological distress. The findings suggest that divorced Black men experience prof ound postdivorce psychological distress. The data further indicate tha t Black men employ the following strategies to cope with the stress of marital dissolution: (a) reliance on family and friends, (b) involvem ent in church-related activities, (c) participation in social activiti es, and (d) establishment of intimate heterosexual relationships 1 yea r after divorce. These findings indicate that post-divorce adjustment should be scrutinized within relevant social-cultural contexts.