Home⇛Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal⇛vol. 24 no. 1 (2024)

When Two Become One: The Experiences of Students in a Single-Parent Household

Harold Sto.domingo | Mark Russell Day | Jerome Angala | Cheliza Elaine Mañalac | Eloisa Cheliza Elaine

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

Despite extensive studies on academic achievement, the unique challenges and resilience of students from single-parent households remain underexplored. Through purposive sampling, this phenomenological research explored the lived experiences of nine (9) senior high school students from a well-known performing arts school in Quezon City who grew up in a single-parent household. A researcher-made interview protocol with ten (10) open-ended questions that was validated by renowned experts was administered to gather responses and sufficient, vital information from the participants. With the utilization of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, three (3) superordinate themes were generated: (1) challenges encountered which delves to the emotional, supportive and financial encounters of the participants; (2) experiences of growing up in a single parent household which pertains to the new responsibilities alongside with the bullying and social challenges faced by the participants; and, (3) emotional well-being which covers the participants’ emotional struggles, negative outlook on personal future and their hopes for future family life.



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