TURNING-POINTS AND COMMITMENT IN POSTDIVORCE RELATIONSHIPS

The purpose of this study was to illuminate the post-divorce experienc e through identifying turning points, reported commitment level, and p atterns characteristic of post-divorce relationships. Eleven turning p oints were identified and mean change in commitment level was assessed via the Retrospective Interview Technique (RIT), which requires parti cipants to plot their relational stories on a graph. Upon visual exami nation, five patterns of post-divorce relationships emerged from a hol istic assessment and categorization of all RIT graphs. Implications fo r the application of turning points to the study of post-divorce relat ionships are discussed, and research directions identified.