| Abstract [eng] |
Because cases of divorce have been relentlessly growing, many children continue to be affected by this problem annually. Scientists have been studying the effects of divorce on children for over five decades, seeking to find out the best way to help them; however, research results are still very contradictory. One of the methodological ways allowing to grasp the real extent of divorce damage are qualitative studies which explore the experiences of being an adult child of divorced parents. This study analyzed how adults who were raised in families of divorced parents perceive this experience. A qualitative method of thematic analysis was employed in this study (Braun et al., 2006). Data was gathered by means of semi-structured interviews. There were 6 participants in the study: 3 men and 3 women. The age of the participants raged from 22 to 51 years old. Having analyzed the data, the following key themes emerged from the stories told by the research participants: 1. When they were together: parental interpersonal relationship before divorce; 2. Childhood with the father/mother and without him/her; 3. Life changes and ambivalent feelings after parental divorce; 4. Then and now: how would it be, if... This study discusses complicated adult „children‘s of divorce“ experiences. Several general aspects came out, such as living in a conflict-ridden family before divorce, the lack of father‘s/mother‘s attention before and after divorce, and ambivalent feelings after divorce: from relief to anxiety, insecurity and anger. During the period of divorce and later having support from the people in the immediate environment is crucial. This study revealed that participants held different attitudes towards marriage and family relationships as well as their stability: from determination to work in order to save the relationship to the attitude that unpromising relationships should be terminated. Even though the participants do not deny the importance of their experience of parental divorce, majority of them never talked to anyone about it. It is likely that it could be due to cultural factors which are expressed by viewing painful topics as “taboo.“ The stories narrated by the study participants revealed interesting, relevant and understudied divorce topics, that emerged from the cultural context of the Lithuanian family relationships. The results of this research can be useful for psychologists, social workers and other specialists, who work with families going through divorce or those who have already experienced divorce. |
