The beginning of the end: A revised inventory of divorce initiation
Published date | 01 October 2022 |
Author | Michele L. Parker,Rachel M. Diamond,Thomas Ledermann,Rachel R. Tambling |
Date | 01 October 2022 |
DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12660 |
RESEARCH
The beginning of the end: A revised inventory
of divorce initiation
Michele L. Parker
1
|Rachel M. Diamond
2
|Thomas Ledermann
1
|
Rachel R. Tambling
3
1
Department of Human Development &
Family Science, Florida State University,
Tallahassee, Florida, United States
2
Couple & Family Therapy, Adler University,
Chicago, Illinois, United States
3
Human Development and Family Studies,
University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut,
United States
Correspondence
Michele L. Parker, Department of Human
Development & Family Science, Florida State
University, 675 W Call Street, Tallahassee, FL
32304, USA.
Email: mparker5@fsu.edu
Funding information
The authors received funding for this project
from the Education Technology Faculty
Research Grant from the University of Saint
Joseph, West Hartford, CT.
Abstract
Objective: The goal of the present study was to determine
the psychometric properties of an extended inventory that
assesses the multiple facets of divorce initiation drawn
from the existing research, the Revised Divorce Initiation
Inventory (DII-R).
Background: Previous research indicates the role of each
partner in the initiation of divorce has relevant implications
for emotional and psychological well-being after the divorce.
Much of this research was conducted with a single-item, cat-
egorical assessment of initiator status (e.g., who initiated the
divorce?). However, recent studies highlight the complexity
of divorce initiation as a multidimensional concept.
Method: A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was con-
ducted with a sample of 408 divorced individuals. Ana-
lyses to explore measurement invariance between men and
women and construct validity were also conducted.
Results: Findings indicated a four-factor model (i.e.,
Legal, Separation, Desire, Responsibility) of 12 items was
a good fit to the data. Factor loadings and intercepts were
equal across groups.
Conclusion: Divorce initiation is a multifaceted construct
that includes dimensions related to separation, legal,
desire, and responsibility that should not be measured with
a single-item assessment.
Implications: The DII-R supports the comprehensive syn-
thesis of ongoing divorce initiation research that may be
used to inform clinical practice to intervene in specific
areas shown to affect the decision to divorce.
KEYWORDS
divorce, divorce initiation, factor analysis, initiator status
Received: 29 September 2020Revised: 21 August 2021Accepted: 2 October 2021
DOI: 10.1111/fare.12660
© 2022 National Council on Family Relations.
Family Relations. 2022;71:1619–1636. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/fare 1619
The U.S. divorce rate has steadily declined in recent decades (particularly for young adults) yet
remains the highest of any Western countries (Amato, 2010; Raley & Sweeney, 2020). Most
recent estimates suggest that 43% to 46% of marriages in the United States are predicted to end
in divorce (Raley & Sweeney, 2020). Adults who have experienced divorce overwhelmingly
report more psychological distress (e.g., more anxious and depressive symptomatology) and
adverse effects on physical health than the general population (Amato, 2010). Although it is an
inherently stressful process, divorce also results in subsequent disruptive personal, relational,
and familial changes affecting people’s adjustment to the divorce (Wang & Amato, 2000). It is
therefore imperative that scholars and clinical practitioners continue to investigate the phenom-
enon of divorce as a complex process, as opposed to a static, unidimensional experience, to
identify factors that explain the associated negative outcomes.
Divorce initiation has recently gained public attention through articles in popular media
(e.g., Men’s Health Magazine,New York Times) and nationally representative, longitudinal
studies (Raley & Sweeney, 2020; Sweet & Bumpass, 2002; National Divorce Decision Making
Project, 2015) in an effort to better identify predictors or risk factors for divorce. Giventhat the
extant literature highlights the complex nature of the divorce process, it stands to reason that
divorce initiation is also a multidimensional construct that precedes the filing oflegalpaper-
work (Author, 2018; Baum, 2003; Braver et al., 1993; Vannoy, 2000). Clinical practice with
couples who are considering separation or divorce would be greatly enhanced by a clearer
understanding of the contributing factors that inform one or both spouses’decision to dissolve
the marriage.
Preliminary evidence indicates the role of each partner in the initiation of the divorce
(i.e., “leaver”vs. “left”) has relevant implications for their postdivorce adjustment. Specifically,
findings suggest that those who initiate divorce have higher emotional and psychological well-
being after divorce compared with noninitiators, particularly during the first few years pos-
tseparation (Baum, 2003; Davis et al., 2003; Hewitt & Turrell, 2011; Quinney, 2003; Steiner
et al., 2015). Despite such findings, much of the available research on divorce initiation is based
on a single-item, categorical assessment of initiator status (e.g., who initiated the divorce?). To
address this gap in the divorce literature, the aim of the present study was to continue the devel-
opment of a more comprehensive assessment instrument of divorce initiation. This study deter-
mines the psychometric properties of an extended inventory to assess the multiple facets of
divorce initiation drawn from the existing research, the Revised Divorce Initiation Inventory
(DII-R).
Additional items were added to the original five-item scale, the Divorce Initiation Inventory
(DII; Author, 2018) to assess the observable (e.g., legal involvement, actions/tasks) and intro-
spective (e.g., desire, responsibility) aspects of divorce initiation among a predominantly White
(78%), heteronormative sample. Ongoing analyses are critical to determine the appropriateness
of the DII-R to assess divorce initiation among other racial groups and couples other than those
in heteronormative unions. We developed an initial pool of 29 items established with samples
reflective of the current participant group from the existing literature. Confirmatory factor anal-
ysis (CFA) was performed to test the final four-factor model. Follow-up analyses were con-
ducted to determine measurement invariance between men and women. Construct validity of
the instrument was explored using correlation analyses to examine the association with con-
structs shown to be related to divorce.
DIVORCE INITIATION
The cumulative body of research suggests that investigating divorce as a single event oversim-
plifies the complex relational process of marital dissolution (Crabtree & Harris, 2020). To
develop appropriate treatment interventions, divorce should instead be conceptualized as a
1620 FAMILY RELATIONS
Get this document and AI-powered insights with a free trial of vLex and Vincent AI
Get Started for FreeStart Your 3-day Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting

Start Your 3-day Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting

Start Your 3-day Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting

Start Your 3-day Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting

Start Your 3-day Free Trial of vLex and Vincent AI, Your Precision-Engineered Legal Assistant
-
Access comprehensive legal content with no limitations across vLex's unparalleled global legal database
-
Build stronger arguments with verified citations and CERT citator that tracks case history and precedential strength
-
Transform your legal research from hours to minutes with Vincent AI's intelligent search and analysis capabilities
-
Elevate your practice by focusing your expertise where it matters most while Vincent handles the heavy lifting
