On the one hand, divorce is so common today that it could almost be considered a normal occurrence, but it is also one of the most stressful situations an individual can face. It causes extreme emotional pain that is difficult to overcome and is associated with negative effects on physical and psychological health. The main aim of this thesis is to gain insight into the experience of parents of pre-school children after a partner break-up, with a focus on ways of refocusing attention on the child’s emotional and social development.
The author used in-depth semi-structured interviews within a phenomenological method for the research. Eight participants - four female and four male - took part in the interviews. The average age of the participants is 42 years. Between 3 and 10 years had passed since the divorce, and on average the marriage/partnership had lasted 10 years. All participants were in a re-established intimate relationship at the time of the interview.
The results are in line with the findings of the scientific literature, as they show that divorce is a traumatic and stressful experience that requires proper emotion regulation in the face of family breakdown and the absence of a child, as well as a collaborative relationship with the ex-partner. Setting post-divorce boundaries that are least stressful for children will often not be the least stressful arrangement for parents. Divorce is not, in most cases, the end of good parenting, but can even be the beginning of more quality time with the child. Analysis of the survey shows that parents are concerned about the emotional and social development of The Master’s thesis fills a research gap in an area that has not been explored in Slovenia. By providing deep insight into the lived experience of the participants, it can serve educational purposes for individuals who are coping with or experiencing divorce and parenting after partner separation.
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