Psychological Contamination and Its Relationship with Psychosomatic Distress Among a Sample of Divorced Men and Wome

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The present study investigated the relationship between psychological contamination across its three dimensions—mental, self-image, and past contamination—and psychosomatic distress among a sample of 122 divorced men and women in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The study also examined potential differences in these psychological responses according to gender, age, duration of divorce, and the presence of children. To achieve these objectives, two locally developed measurement instruments were utilized after verifying their validity and reliability. And using the Pearson correlation coefficient, multiple linear regression, t-test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results revealed a high overall level of psychological contamination, with mental contamination being the most prevalent dimension, followed by past contamination, while self-image contamination ranked last. The most common manifestations of psychosomatic distress were symptoms associated with autonomic nervous system activation, such as gastrointestinal disturbances, irregular heartbeat, and persistent fatigue. Furthermore, the findings indicated statistically significant positive correlations between psychological contamination and psychosomatic distress, with self-image contamination emerging as the strongest predictor of distress, followed by past contamination. Regarding the demographic variables, divorced women scored significantly higher than divorced men, whereas no significant differences were found attributable to age, duration of divorce, or the presence of children. Ultimately, the study recommended developing specialized counseling programs aimed at enhancing self-image, reducing stress, and supporting psychological adjustment after divorce