Van Schalkwyk Janine, Gentz Shelene
Department of Psychology and Social Work, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia.
Front Psychol. 2023 Aug 28;14:1221697. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1221697. eCollection 2023.
Divorce is a contributor to family instability within sub-Saharan Africa, and specifically within Namibia, an increasing number of children are exposed to its impact. However, not all children react uniformly to the impact of parental divorce, and many children may be resilient. Understanding what promotes resilience in children post-divorce in African contexts is vital, given the unique socio-cultural context. Therefore, this study aimed to understand how some children are capable of resilience despite exposure to parental divorce in Namibia.
A multiple case study design was employed to assess the lived experiences of children aged 9-12 post-parental divorce in Windhoek. Using the Child and Youth Resilience Measurement (CYRM-12) scale, 24 children exposed to parental divorce were screened for resiliency. The Q-Methodology, with visual material, was utilized with a sub-sample of 12 children who scored high on the CYRM (50% girls, mean age = 11) to eliminate some of the challenges associated with gathering qualitative data from younger children. The PQ Method 2.35 software program was used for data analysis.
By-person factor analysis identified four statistically significant profiles. A third (33%) of participants loaded on a factor emphasizing "quality parent-child relationships" and a further 33% emphasizing "effective parent conflict resolution." The final two factors emphasized "healthy school attachment" (17%) and "strong community attachment" (17%). All children emphasized a stable, loving familial environment, and frequent visitation with the non-custodial father.
Our findings suggest that multiple social ecologies nurture resilience in children exposed to parental divorce in Namibia. Support should be extended beyond the perimeters of the nuclear family, and relationships with extended family members, peer groups, school, and the wider community can play an important role in children's adjustment. The study highlights the importance of contextually grounded resilience as some factors that are emphasized for children from more Western communities do not reflect as strongly in the results of this study. Other factors, including a stronger reliance on community and factors such as the school, peers, and extended family members, may play a bigger role in child resilience post-divorce in Namibia.
在撒哈拉以南非洲地区，离婚是导致家庭不稳定的一个因素，在纳米比亚尤其如此，越来越多的儿童受到其影响。然而，并非所有儿童对父母离婚的影响都有一致的反应，许多儿童可能具有恢复力。鉴于独特的社会文化背景，了解在非洲背景下促进离婚后儿童恢复力的因素至关重要。因此，本研究旨在了解纳米比亚一些儿童尽管经历了父母离婚，却如何具备恢复力。
采用多案例研究设计，评估温得和克地区9至12岁父母离异儿童的生活经历。使用儿童和青少年恢复力测量（CYRM - 12）量表，对24名父母离异的儿童进行恢复力筛查。对CYRM得分高的12名儿童（50%为女孩，平均年龄 = 11岁）的子样本采用带有视觉材料的Q方法，以消除从年幼儿童收集定性数据时遇到的一些挑战。使用PQ方法2.35软件程序进行数据分析。
个人因素分析确定了四个具有统计学意义的概况。三分之一（33%）的参与者归为强调“优质亲子关系”的一个因素，另有33%强调“有效的父母冲突解决方式”。最后两个因素分别强调“健康的学校依恋”（17%）和“强烈的社区依恋”（17%）。所有儿童都强调稳定、充满爱的家庭环境，以及与非监护方父亲的频繁探视。
我们的研究结果表明，多种社会生态因素培育了纳米比亚父母离异儿童的恢复力。支持应超越核心家庭范围，与大家庭成员、同龄群体、学校及更广泛社区的关系在儿童适应过程中可发挥重要作用。该研究凸显了基于具体情境的恢复力的重要性，因为一些在西方社区儿童中强调的因素在本研究结果中并未如此强烈地体现。其他因素，包括对社区更强的依赖以及学校、同龄人和大家庭成员等因素，可能在纳米比亚离婚后儿童的恢复力方面发挥更大作用。
