Former spouses exiting role-identities

Understanding role-identity exit is as important as understanding entrance into roles and emergence of role-identities since individuals frequently abandon and lose their roles. This study explores the process of exiting role-identities that individuals experience during the divorce and post-divorce interactions. Results indicate a different role-identity exit process for initiators than for noninitiators, although members of each group passed through four stages. These different processes are described, and variables affecting the role-identity exit process, such as degree of voluntariness, degree of awareness, and the degree of control are briefly discussed.