| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立臺南大學 === 諮商與輔導學系碩士班 === 104 === The study aimed to explore stepchildren’s experiences in and adaptations to their stepfamilies. Based on stepchildren’s descriptions of their upbringing experiences in the families, the following aspects were investigated: 1) upbringing experiences in stepfamilies, 2) adaptations made to stepfamilies, and 3) meanings of family experiences to personal developments. The study was conducted through narrative research. The research underwent semi-structured in-depth interviews with the participant; the obtained data was analyzed and compiled through the holistic-content method. The findings of the study are as follows.
Stepchildren’s family experiences could be understood from four perspectives. First, a stepchild’s mindset of keeping the biological parent company that he/she clung to during the single-parent period could extend to the stepfamily period. Second, a stepchild’s sense of loss towards their parents’ remarriages mainly came from the stepchild’s incapability of controlling the environment change. Third, competitions among siblings and ineffective communication in the family became the primary reason that stepchildren had difficulties establishing relationships with their stepparents. Fourth, stepchildren’s senses of belonging to their stepfamilies were determined by their biological parents’ attitudes towards them.
Stepchildren’s adaptation processes consisted of three phases. 1) Early phase: one would keep distance from new family members and compromise temporarily before having a chance to resist. 2) Midterm phase: with increasingly matured capability, one would decide not to tolerate anymore and begin to resist. 3) Later phase: one would stop resisting and in turn change one’s mindset.
Two influences or meanings of stepfamilies to an individual were discovered. First, family experiences made stepchildren take their future marriage more cautiously; interactions among stepchildren and their family members influenced the establishment of intimate relationships. Second, the upbringing experience in a stepfamily expanded one’s thinking framework.
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