Journal of Families and Better Life (가정과삶의질연구)

Korean Home Management Association (가정과삶의질학회)
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A Life History Study of Married Women in Their 30s to 40s with Experience in Parental Divorce

부모의 이혼을 경험한 30-40대 기혼여성의 생애사 연구

  • Jeon, Bo-Young (Dept. of Consumer & family sciences, Sungkyunkwan University) ;
  • Cho, Hee-Sun (Dept. of Consumer & family sciences, Sungkyunkwan University)
  • Received : 2016.05.15
  • Accepted : 2016.08.25
  • Published : 2016.08.31
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Abstract

This study focuses on the life experience of married women in their 30s to 40s who have experienced parental divorce. For a comprehensive understanding towards the women, this study takes a life history research approach. The participants of this research are 8 women who have experienced parental divorce and are now married with children. The data were gathered through in-depth interviews and were analyzed through the spiral of analysis, following the process of Wolcott's "description, analysis, and interpretation." The results of this study are as follows. First, participants experienced emotions such as fear, anger, and lack of affection. Second, parenting attitude and parental divorce had negative effects on the participants' formation and development of self concept and in turn, participants experienced anxiety and withdrawal from interpersonal relationships. Some had difficulties in concentrating on their schoolwork, which was caused by psychological effects from their instable home environments and some were negligent at school due to their parents' indifference or as an act of rebellion towards them. Third, although participants displayed interest towards the opposite sex, fear towards the opposite sex or unrealistic expectations led to difficulties in forming relationships. Participants also confessed that although they married so that they could escape their original family and form a new happy one, they experienced a rocky start at the beginning of their marriage. Fourth, parental divorce had a lifelong impact on children. Even after the children became adults, parental divorce affected each key stage of transition in life such as dating, choosing one's spouse, marriage, and child rearing. Fifth, participants displayed a strong attachment to life under the assumption that only they themselves can be depended on. This led to their strong commitments to a successful marriage without the possibility of divorce. In conclusion, parental divorce is not a transitory or incidental event. Rather, it becomes a part of the children's lives with lifelong implications.

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References

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