A Phenomenological Study on the Psychological Experiences of Divorced Christian Middle-Aged Women

The purpose of this study is to gain an in-depth understanding of the psychological phenomena and the essential nature of the psychological experiences of Christian middle-aged women who have undergone divorce.For this purpose, three Christian middle-aged women with divorce experience were purposefully selected as participants, and data were collected through interviews utilizing semi-structured questions designed to elicit rich descriptions of their lived experiences.The interview data obtained through in-depth and open-ended conversations were carefully analyzed using Giorgi's descriptive phenomenological research method, which focuses on identifying the essence and structure of subjective experiences.As a result of the analysis, five core components and fifteen subcomponents were derived, reflecting the complex and multifaceted nature of their experiences.The core components were identified as: "decision to divorce," "psychological changes after divorce," "postdivorce difficulties," "comfort and growth through faith," and "mature coping after divorce."This study enhances the phenomenological understanding of the psychological processes and transformative experiences of divorced Christian middle-aged women.Although the participants experienced significant emotional pain and hardship due to the dissolution of their marriages, it was also found to be a profound period of adaptation and personal growth, during which they regained their sense of self and experienced the grace of God through their faith practices.The findings of this study may serve as valuable foundational resource for developing appropriate care, counseling interventions, and support programs for divorced women within church communities.