Exploring the emotional experiences of adolescents of divorced parents in Assin Fosu Township, Ghana

Abstract

The study explored emotional experiences of adolescents of divorced parents in Assin Fosu Township, Ghana. The study adopted naturalistic paradigm. Also, phenomenological design within the qualitative research approach was used for the study. A sample of 7 participants was selected using maximum variation type of purposive sampling technique. Semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data. The instrument was taken through credibility, dependability, transferability and confirmability so as to ensure its trustworthiness. Data were analysed in themes. The study found that feelings of sadness, distress, abandonment, anger, helplessness and thoughts of suicide were the key cognitive experiences of adolescents of divorced parents. Further, adolescents of parental divorce received advice from friends and teachers, smoked, used drugs, drunk alcohol, engaged in premarital sexual relationships and practiced antisocial behaviours as coping strategies adopted for their cognitive experiences. Moreover, divorce adversely affected the social lives of adolescents of divorced parents. It was concluded that parental divorce influenced the thinking processes of adolescents. Also, while very few the adolescents of divorced parents used positive coping strategies, majority of them used negative coping strategies in dealing with their emotional experiences. Additionally, adolescents isolated themselves from some of the peers and not attending social gatherings. It was recommended that teachers should monitor critically how these adolescents think and respond to issues during teaching and learning. Besides, the school counsellor should help these adolescents by providing them with one-on-one counselling on how to deal with challenges emotional experiences. Again, the school counsellor, teachers and heads should educate the entire students on how to fairly treat adolescents from divorced parents.