Stories of maternally bereaved young adults and their interpersonal relationships

• Main Authors: Fernando, Lois Kim Shaena C., Robles, Ma. Angela O., Oba, Aya S., Jacinto, Rainier Benedict D.M.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2016
• Subjects: Mothers > Death; Death > Psychological aspects; Young adults > Philippines; Interpersonal relations > Philippines; Bereavement > Psychological aspects
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/8444
• Institution: De La Salle University

The main purpose of the qualitative study is to understand the stories of young adults who grew up with the absence of their mother due to early death and to explore on how this has influenced the way they form interpersonal relationships. With the use of the narrative analysis as a methodology that includes an extensive interview with six (6) participants, the study is able to describe these experiences and make sense of their stories. The narrative analysis qualitative method allowed to produce four (4) themes: (a) sense of independence, (b) drawing strength and support from friends, (c), compensation, and (d) longing for mother. For most, the participants saw both the positive and negative impact of the experience to them but gave insight and emphasis on how the experience made them stronger and shaped them to who they are today. As a result, it was also one's need for love and affection that was found in the people closest to them, which are their fathers, house helpers, siblings, friends, close relatives, and the like. With that, the people who try to fill the spot of the participant's supposed mother was highlighted as to how important these people were on shaping their well-being and beliefs. More so, the loss of a mother makes an impact as to how they make and value interpersonal relationships by how they set standards for the people they choose to be in their lives that are essential to how they gain interpersonal growth.