The experience of children living without a father figure at home : an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Abstract

The institution of the family has undergone several changes and new forms of families are emerging in recent years. This research aims to explore the lived experiences of adolescents who grew up without a father figure in their home. By doing so, this study have given the chance to the participants to dive deeper within their lived experience of growing up in a home where the father is absent. It is noted that not much attention has been given to the experiences of adolescents and their feelings about their family dynamics. Three semi-structured interviews were carried out with participants over the age of 18 who in their adolescent years grew up without a father figure. The transcribed interviews were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, resulting in four super ordinate themes along with their sub themes. The findings of this study suggest that growing up in a mother-headed household gave the participants the opportunity to flourish, mature and develop new skills which made them who they are today. Also, a recurring theme was the impact that growing up without a father had on relationships, and financial hardships in the home. This study ends with research recommendations and policy and services recommendations to support different families.