Recalling childhood experiences of parental separation and divorce: An internet based phenomenology of young adult voices.

This thesis examines young adults’ childhood experiences of parental separation and divorce using internet research methods. The study adopted a phenomenological approach, to provide the opportunity for young adults (aged 18-30 years) to reflect on their experience, identify post separation changes and highlight aspects significant to them thereby, giving ‘voice’ to their lived experience.

Internet-based research methodology was used to investigate how these aspects influenced young adults’ current views of their childhood experience and their ability to accommodate parental separation and post-separation changes in the long term. Working as a bricoleur, the research methods were designed and constructed with young people; a prompt simulation video (PSV) linked to an online questionnaire was created to act as a stimulus for young adults’ reflections. The sample group for this exploratory study was a self-selecting group of undergraduate students at a university in northwest England.

Respondents were asked how they felt about the post-separation changes now and their responses were categorised according to the level of satisfaction (Continuum 1) and level of acceptance (Continuum 2) they reported, when combined these levels indicated their level of accommodation of the changes. These levels were used as a framework for thematic analysis of their responses from which factors and experiences influencing respondent’s level of accommodation were identified.

The majority of respondents reported a high level of accommodation. Good parental communication, parental support, having their views about post-separation changes taken into account were important factors in their experience. Respondents who did not have these experiences reported lower levels of accommodation, those caught up in their parents’ on-going parental conflict reported the lowest level of accommodation

The findings provide a framework for a deeper, more nuanced understanding of children’s experiences of parental separation and post-separation changes and create the opportunity for exploration of the issues raised for children at the intersection of home and school.