Adults' perceived influence of parental marital separation on their adolescence

Abstract

This study attempted to answer the research question ‘‘How do adults think that their parents’ marital separation influenced their adolescence?’’. For this purpose, a qualitative approach was implemented. Interviews were carried out with 4 participants, a male and 3 females between the ages of 21 and 26 years, who had experienced their parents’ marital separation before or at the age of 11. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling and the data was collected through in-depth, semi-structured, face to face interviews. The data was then analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Smith, Flowers & Larkin, 2009). This dissertation examined the participants’ views of the impact of parental separation on them especially during the adolescence period. Through the analysis of the data, three super-ordinate themes emerged; ‘Normalisation of the separation process’, ‘Perceived impacts of separation’ and ‘Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction with educational attainment’. These were developed from subordinate themes which were produced through the analysis of the interviews with each of the participants. Participants felt that the separation was something normal which some families have to experience. This normalisation led to participants feeling reluctant to seek professional help. Moreover, this study illustrated that the relationship that is most impacted by the separation is the relationship between the father and the child. Most of the participants stated that their educational attainment was not influenced due to the separation. However, one participant stated that she had to choose her financial independence over getting an education. All super-ordinate and subordinate themes are then discussed in the light of previous literature and studies. In conclusion, in order to help diminish negative impacts of separation on adolescents, several recommendations and suggestions were made.