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Divorce Scales and What They Mean

Everyone has heard stories of people who got divorced. "Joe left her and never looked back. He's remarried now and happy as a lark." Or, "They divorced way back in 1960, and Martha's still pining for that man. Her life was ruined." So which is true? Is divorce a second lease on life? Or the end of the line?

One thing is certain; you won't find the answer in gossip. Social scientists generally try to avoid looking at anecdotal evidence, because, while they may arouse emotion, they offer very little in the way of facts and even less in the way of statistics. Instead, social scientists have worked to develop divorce scales, standardized tests to measure different aspects of divorcing couples and their families.  Here is an example of some common divorce scales used to assess families.

Children's Beliefs about Parental Divorce Scales

Developed in 1987, this divorce scale assesses several common fears of children whose parents are divorcing or have divorced. Among other things, the divorce scale looks at self blame, fear of being abandoned by one or both parents, and fear of being teased by peers. The more negative beliefs kids reported, the higher their anxiety in other areas of life.

Marital Status Inventory 

The Marital Status Inventory is a brief, self-administered true/false quiz to test the strength of one's marriage. Items include statements such as "Thoughts of divorce occur to me frequently" and "I have NOT discussed the issue of divorce with my spouse." This divorce scale can measure the strength of the marriage as well as the intensity of thoughts about divorce. For instance, there is a vast difference between thinking about divorce "once in a while, usually after a fight" and thinking about it every day. Many marriage and family counselors have spouses complete a Marital Status Inventory before counseling begins.

Locke-Wallace Marital Adjustment Test

This is another self-administered test that measures how well couples have "settled into" their marriage. One section asks couples how strongly they agree on day-to-day issues, such as handling finances, dealing with in-laws, and managing their sexual relationship. Other items have couples to pick a multiple choice answer to questions such as "Do you ever confide in your mate? Answers range from “almost never” to “always.” This is another scale widely used among marital and family therapists.

Conflict Tactics Scale - Revised

Developed by Murray Straus, this lengthy, in-depth scale monitors how couples resolve conflict. Choices range from negotiation all the way through to verbal and physical assault and injury. This test also measures how often each of these coping tactics is employed. This is an important divorce scale, since most marriage and family therapists strongly advise a partner who is being battered to end the relationship.