Resilience in Remarried Families

Abstract

Assignment presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Counselling Psychology) at the University of StellenboschSupervisor: Prof A P Greeff April2005Il STATEMENT I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this assignment is my own original work and, that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it at any university for a degree.Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za iii ABSTRACT Using a cross-sectional survey research design the present study aims to explore those resilience factors which enable remarried families to withstand and rebound from the disruptive challenges they face. Furthermore, recovery factors were examined which enabled remarried families to cope more effectively and to emerge hardier from a -____ crisis. Remarried families who were married between one to four years, with at least one family member presently in school, were approached to take part in this study. Hersaamgestelde gesinne wat tussen een tot vier jaar getroud is, met ten minste een gesinslid op skool, is genader om aan die studie deel te neem. 'n Ouer en 'n kind van 38 gesinne het onafhanklik ses vraelyste en 'n oop-end vraag beantwoord. Die volgende veerkragtigheidsfaktore is met behulp van kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe metings geïdentifiseer: (1) gesinsverhoudings en ondersteuning (wedersydse respek, samewerking en 'n liefdevolle band), (2) oop gesinskommunikasie wat bevestigend is en wat sorg en ondersteuning oordra, sowel as minder opruiende kommunikasie wat geneig is om stresvolle situasies te vererger, (3) die vermoë om 'n sin van kontrole oor uitkomste in die lewe te hê deur 'n aktiewe orientasie in aanpassing tot en die beheer van stresvolle situasies, (4) aktiwiteite en roetine wat gesinne help om tyd saam te spandeer en die skep van samesyn, (5) 'n sterk huweliksverhouding (bestaande uit duidelike gedefinieerde rolle, gelykheid en ondersteuning van mekaar), (6) ondersteuning van familie en vriende, (7) interne en eksterne hantering van probleme deur die herdefiniëring van stresvolle gebeure, sowel as die verkryging en aanvaarding van sosiale ondersteuning, (8) spiritualiteit en godsdiens in die gesin wat doel en betekenis verskaf wat verder gaan as die krisissituasie.

Social Skills, Social Support and Well-Being in Adolescents of Different Family Configurations

“…These results are supported by several studies that found a correlation between the identification by the adolescents of social support from family and friends and greater levels of well-being (Casas et al, 2007;Sarriera et al, 2012). Regarding family transitions, social support appraisals from friends may facilitate the emergence of adaptation processes if, for example, the adolescent is experiencing the separation and remarriage of parents (Greeff & Du Toit, 2009). In this sense, the friends would be a source of emotional support that encourages adolescents to share their experiences and feelings and to learn to address conflict.…”

“…Similar results have been found by other studies that observed that family configuration does not affect the well-being of children (Adler-Baeder et al, 2010;Fernandes, 2007). The results of this study suggest that the circumstances that the families are experiencing, whether normative or not, can be addressed throughout the life of individuals in a more or less competent manner (Greeff & Du Toit, 2009;Mota & Matos, 2011). Thus, the family transitions are not events that are associated with less adaptive pathways.…”

“…Thus, the teachers are often unaware of familial disruptions in the lives of their students. However, the social support from teachers seems to function as a protective mechanism for adolescents who experience parental marital dissolution (Greeff & Du Toit, 2009). Because the instrument contained items that referred to a generic teacher, a scale to assess support appraisals from a specific teacher could provide different results.…”

“…This study investigated psychological well-being as conceived by Ryff (1989), which refers to a set of psychological capabilities and resources at the disposal of the individual that are used to address the challenges that occur throughout life. Scholars have noted that little attention has been paid to the positive aspects of the development of family members after marital separation and/or remarriage, which may occur as a result of these family transitions (Greeff & Du Toit, 2009;Mota & Matos, 2011). Thus, this study focuses on the resources and contexts of adolescents that may signal processes of adaptation and/or personal growth when faced with marital separation and parental remarriage (Mota & Matos, 2011).…”

“…Although parental separation and remarriage may affect social support from other environments outside the family (Hamama & Ronen-Shenhav, 2012;Nomaguchi, 2008), studies have indicated that the presence of friends and good relationships with teachers can function as protective factors for adolescents who experience parental marital separation (Greeff & Du Toit, 2009). However, little attention has been paid to extra-familial social support (i.e., support from teachers, friends and significant others) for adolescents who have experienced family transitions.…”