The opinion that divorce is more painful and difficult for men than for women is widespread among both professionals and the public. This issue was examined in a study involving 50 divorced men and 44 divorced women in Trondheim, Norway. Interviews were conducted with respondents and the difficulty and pain of divorce were measured in part by each respondent's descriptions of depression, desperation, sadness, and anger. In addition, subjects' use of stimulants or tranquilizers, their illness, hospitalizations, and their absences from work were studied. The results revealed that men and women acted and reacted in very similar ways. Both sexes reported being depressed, desperate, sad, and angry during their divorce. The main difference between men and women was not in how they reacted to divorce, but in the stage of the process when they had reactions. The majority of women, but only a few men, reported that the time before separation had been most difficult. Men, more often than women, reported their most difficult time to be late in the divorce process, after the actual separation or divorce. Who initiates the divorce, reasons for the divorce, and help from family, friends, and professionals are all factors to consider in studying the divorce process. For the men in this study, the divorce process was different than for women, but in most cases it was not more painful or difficult. (NB)