A retrospective study of the experience of young adults who pass through parental separation and their parents' formation of new relationships

Abstract

Young adults experiences of parental separation and re-partnering were explored by taking on a phenomenological approach, following the steps of Interpretative Phenomenological Approach (IPA). The retrospective nature of this study reveals insights into the past experiences of two male and two female young adult participants who experienced parental separation and their parents' formation of new relationships at a young age. The findings suggest that with both experiences, adjusting to living in different homes and modifying their original family system was inevitable. Social representations hindered their acceptance at first, with relatedness facilitating them to open up about their experiences. Only three of them claimed to have a very close relationship with their live-in parent and generally got on well with their parents' partner. Lastly, both experiences had an affect on their emotional well-being.