DECP Collaborative Research Sheds Light on Divorce Decision-Making in Bangladesh
The Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology (DECP) is pleased to announce the publication of a groundbreaking qualitative study, “Bangladeshi Couple Therapists’ Perspectives of Divorce Decision-Making,” in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy (Impact Factor 1.8). Led by Assistant Professor Umme Kawser (currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Minnesota), this research marks one of the first in-depth investigations of divorce ideation within a non-Western context.
Drawing on semi-structured interviews with fifteen experienced family therapists in Dhaka, the study employed thematic analysis to uncover four central guiding principles in divorce counselling:
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Therapists as Experts – Leveraging professional training to inform clients of their options.
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Respect for Client Autonomy – Centering the couple’s right to make informed choices.
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Therapist Neutrality – Maintaining an impartial stance to support both partners.
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Clarity in Decision-Making – Helping clients achieve a clear, well-defined resolution.
Situated against Dhaka’s evolving landscape of couple therapy—and framed by cultural beliefs that often regard divorce as shameful or religiously impermissible—these findings offer critical insights for practitioners, policymakers, and academics alike. As co-author Dr. Kawser notes, “Understanding how therapists navigate deeply ingrained social norms is essential for developing culturally attuned interventions.”
Future Directions
Building on this work, DECP researchers plan to explore the roles of religious leaders, kinship networks, and rural practitioners in divorce decision-making, particularly among less-educated and under-researched communities across Bangladesh.