How Absent and Strained Parent Relationships Affect Adult Children Ages 18-35

Posted: January 5th, 2023

How Absent and Strained Parent Relationships Affect Adult Children Ages 18-35

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How Absent and Strained Parent Relationships Affect Adult Children Ages 18-35

Introduction

The research pays attention to the possible implications of parent absence and strained parent relationship on children aged 18-35 years. Whereas many think that parental care is only essential at childhood that is not the case because even adult children may develop some negative effects for lacking parental care, or when their parents are in constant wrangles such that they are not in good terms with each other. The study argues that prolonged parent absence and strained parent relationship affect adult children significantly in such a way that interfere with their well-being and quality of life.

Literature Review

Over the last thirty years, the number of single-parent families in the U.S. has risen considerably. Presently, approximately one child in every four lives in a single-parent household. Amato (2001) projects that nearly 60% of children in the U.S. will live in a single-parent household for a lengthy period of time. Amato (2001) further writes that encountering separation from a parent, especially a biological one, is common among minority groups considering that 20% of non-Hispanic white children reside in a single-parent household, compared with 31% of children of Hispanic origin, and 54% of children of African American descent. The patterns have raise concerns from different concerned parties, especially scientific personnel and the public regarding the possible implications of parental absence for the development of children and their well-being. Kaufman and Uhlenberg (2008) inform how disturbing encounters as a child have adverse effects of adult children because they still reflect on the disturbing thoughts they encountered as young children. Often, those who witness disturbing thoughts such as children may end up developing emotional problems that could escalate to depression or other severe health and social effects as they grow into young adults.

Further evidence reveal that those adult children who have witnessed prolonged parent absence and strained parent relationship are likely to have problems with the quality of their marriage. Reczek, Liu, and Umberson (2011) use the perspective of life course to examine how strained parent relationship affect their marital quality of their children. Reczek, Liu, and Umberson (2011) further inquire whether the effects on adult children depend on their childhood family encounters, duration of marriage, age, and gender. The study, which reveals the same outcome as Waite and Gallagher (2000) that impact of the adult child-parent relationship on the adult children depend on level of stress encountered at childhood, age, and duration of marriage, also showed that affected relationship derail how the children develop stable marriage relationship (Reczek, Liu & Umberson 2011). It is possible that affected adult child-parent relationship may affect marital quality because theorists have long stressed that married people do not live in social isolation (Reczek, Liu & Umberson 2011). Rather, social relationships and contexts outside the marital environment impact marital quality.

Methodology

Research Design

The study employs the qualitative research design because of the several merits associated with the technique. The approach largely entails gathering and analyzing qualitative data as opposed to the quantitative design that deals with numbers and concrete statistical data (Almeida, Faria & Queiros 2017). Therefore, it is easier to control the quality in a qualitative research and to directly involve the client. The other befits of qualitative research that makes it favorable in this case is its provision of deeper comprehension through interaction with respondents, and enhanced turnaround (Almeida, Faria & Queiros 2017). Moreover, the approach is suitable because it can address changing perceptions within the target audience, and are not restricted to the restrictions of quantitative approaches. Nonetheless, it is essential to consider some of the possible limitations associated with the process, including increased reliance upon the researcher’s experience, possible chances of biasness, and high chances of getting misleading outcomes (Almeida, Faria & Queiros 2017). Thus, implementers must be keen to avoid hitches that could harm the entire process.

Participants

The research will incorporate 200 participants (ages 18-35) to increase the possibilities of getting a wide range of information. Among the entire number of participants, 100 will join the study because of parent absence while another 100 will join the exercise on the basis of witnessing strained parent relationships. The practice will take into account gender balance, and will therefore engage 100 males and 100 females. Participants will get the chance to take part in the study regardless of their ethnical, racial, political, religious, or sexual orientation.

Sampling

The exercise will use the purposive sampling, which is a form of nonprobability sampling where sample members from a larger population is selected purposely with the intention of acquiring specific information or to understand an idea, phenomenon, concept, or theme (Robinson 2014). For example, the researcher will specifically focus on recruiting participants whose ages range between 18 and 30, and who have either witnessed absence of either or all parents or strained relationship. Therefore, it is essential to interact with prospective respondents to identify those who are fit for the exercise. The main reason for selecting purposive sampling is that it presents the chance to recruit participants who are well conversant with the subject under investigation. However, the key limitation is that it takes time to engage with the sample to pick those who fit the stipulated requirements.

Data Collection

The study employs questionnaires via email interviews to gather data. Specifically, data collectors issue respondents with open-ended questionnaires because they provide the chance to gather a lot of response from participants (Flick 2018). Other than allowing room for more detail, open-ended questionnaires create the chance to gain new, usually unpredicted information, and provide respondents with an opportunity to express their selves as much as they can, thereby offering the chance to give substantial qualitative data (Flick 2018). However, surveyors must understand that using open-ended questionnaires presents certain challenges that the researcher must take into account, including use of much time to respond, possibility of gathering irrelevant content, and difficulty in comparing and contrasting the response. The study also chooses to conduct the interview through email because it provides participants with the chance to read and edit what they write before submitting. Hawkins (2018) informs that the written answers of email interviews, which are easily changed to transcribed information, save substantial amount of money and time over the common budget for transcribing oral interviews. Other than the economical and convenience merits of email interviews, researchers have revealed that some participants, especially younger respondents find it easier to interact through electronic data collection techniques because of the privacy and convenience associated with the technique (Hawkins 2018). Email interview is suitable because it allows respondents to react to the research questions when they find it convenient (Hawkins 2018). Nevertheless, the researchers must know that it takes much time to create the written responses than it would happen with oral interview.

Analysis

The study employs the descriptive data analysis method because of the convenience and benefits associated with the technique. The approach helps to summarize and describe data in a constructive way such that it is possible to build a pattern from the set of data (Flick 2018). The technique is suitable because it does not require intense statistical analysis, and because it only require data analysts to work with the information that they see (Flick 2018). The approach, however, does not permit the research to make deductions beyond the information they have acquired and analyzed.

Projected Outcome

The study is likely to show that those adult children who stay away from their parents or whose parents are in constant wrangles are likely to experience some adverse effects compared to those who maintain close links with their parents. Furthermore, the study is likely to show how adult children who are far apart from their parents are likely to develop emotional problems that could destabilize how they relate with others, or perform their actions.

Conclusion

The research will focus on the possible effects of parent absence and strained parent relationship on adult children. It shows how despite being adults, adult children still need the presence and guidance of their parents, especially at the age group under investigation. The report reveals that the harsh experiences such as parent absence and affected relationship people encounter as children could come to haunt them as adults. It emerges that adult children may lack the capacity to establish stronger marital connections when they experience parent absence and when their parents developed strained relationship. The proposal recommends conducting a qualitative research to find out the possible impact of absent parent and strained parent relationship affect adult children.

References

Almeida, F., Faria, D., & Queiros, A. (2017). Strengths and limitations of qualitative and

            quantitative research methods. Innovation and Entrepreneurship,3 (9), 369-386.

Amato, P. (2001). Parental absence during childhood and depression in later life. The

            Sociological Quarterly, 32 (4), 543-556. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4120902

Flick, U. (2018). Designing qualitative research. London: Sage. ISBN-10: 9781473911987

Hawkins, J. (2018). The practical utility and sustainability of email interviews in qualitative

            research. The Qualitative Report, 23 (2), 493-501.             https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324992280_The_Practical_Utility_and_Suitability_of_Email_Interviews_in_Qualitative_Research

Kaufman, G., Uhlenberg P. (2008). Effects of life course transitions on the quality of

            relationships between adult children and their parents. Journal of Marriage and the

            Family, 60, 924–938. doi: 10.2307/353635

Reczek, C., Liu, H., & Umberson, D. (2011). Just the two of us? How parents influence adult

            children’s marital quality. Journal of Marriage and Family 72 (5), 1205-1219.

            doi: 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00759.x

Robinson, R. (2014). Purposive sampling. Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being

            Research, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_2337

Waite, L. J., & Gallagher, M. (2000). The case for marriage: Why married people are happier,

            healthier, and better off financially. New York: Doubleday. ISBN-10: 0767906322