Life transitions within a family, such as adult children leaving home, bring numerous
changes and challenges that both young adults and parents must face. This master’s thesis
focuses on the parental experience and perspective – we explore how parents perceive
their children’s departure from home and what changes they notice in themselves and in
their relationship during this period. The quantitative part of the master’s research
addresses the topic of family life transitions in relation to attachment, exploring the
connection between the intensity of participants’ distress upon their adult child’s
departure from home and various dimensions of attachment. For the purposes of the
quantitative research, we made an online questionnaire consisting of the “Empty Nest
Syndrome Assessment” (ENSA) and the “Adult Attachment Scale” (AAS). In a sample
of 150 participants, we found a weak positive correlation between distress and the anxious
and dependent dimensions of attachment; while calculations also indicate a statistically
significant difference in the experience of distress based on family type, noting that the
proportion of single-parent families among participants is markedly lower. In the
qualitative part of the study, using the interview method, we deepen our understanding of
the issue and explore the experiences and changes that parents perceive in their role, in
themselves, and in their relationship with their partner. Through interviews with 13
participants, we found that the biggest changes during this period are observed in their
daily routines, the amount of time they can devote to themselves or their relationship, and
their perception of their role. One of the main findings is that the empty nest period does
not pose excessive challenges for parents; rather, they perceive it as something
manageable and entirely natural. The empty nest period, therefore, does not necessarily
signify distress, but rather a new opportunity for parents and their children, for their
relationship, and for personal growth.
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