| Abstract: | 成為單親家長不僅是一個危機，更是一個創傷性的經驗。雖然如此，仍有一些單親家長從婚姻困境中復原。本研究的目的即在瞭解單親家長對婚姻困境的主觀經驗及對復原的解釋，並探討影響單親家長生活適應的復原力與社會支持因素。資料蒐集方式為質性研究深入訪談法，有效訪問了17位離婚單親家長。研究結果初步發現復原是一個似波浪振幅的歷程，復原的單親家長並不保證不會再碰到人生的困境，但因為逐漸建立出的能力會使他們對困境反應越來越小。復原是建立在個人主觀認知的創傷(受到傷害)與接受挑戰後產生的能力。因此，一個復原的人是會展現出能力和優勢的。也因此復原和一般因困境而產生適應是有一些不同的。本研究發現復原的單親家長具備有(1)積極樂觀的人格特質；(2)問題解決式的因應方法，能適當地設定目標並主動的朝目標邁進；(3)原生家庭充分支持；(4)能有效率地使用生活中的社會支持體系與社會資源。換言之，具有生態的觀點。復原的單親家長所展現出的復原結果有積極的面對困境、新認知的形成、對社會標籤融入正向看法、自覺成長與轉變、自我肯定、自信心、積極營造自己的生活、樂於與人分享、感恩以及對失婚經驗的重新定義等。由於時間與經費限制，本研究僅針對單親家長訪談，未能訪談整個單親家庭或其子女，無法探討到整個家庭的復原力；另外，由於男性單親家長不明原因的排斥，無法訪談足夠男單以進一步探討性別上的差異。這些限制都值得未來進一步研究。本研究最後並根據研究發現提出政策、實務及未來研究方向上的建議。
Being a single parent is not only a crisis, but also a traumatic experience. However, there are still some single parents who adjust well. In this study, we tried to explore the resilient process and subjective experience among single parents who try to thrive under adversity due to divorce. We also tried to understand how resilience and social support influence their adjustment after divorce. In depth interviews and focus group were conducted to collect data. The subjects were theoretically selected; however, they were diversified in terms of age, education and social class. Finally, 17 subjects were successfully interviewed. The study found that resilience is a waves-like process. Resilient single parents did not guarantee trouble-less situation in the future. Owing to the resilience built, their responses to distress became smaller and smaller. The resilience was built out of individual subjective cognition of vulnerability and acceptance of challenge. A resilient person was a person with competence or with strengths. Therefore, the concept of resilience is different with that of adjustment. The findings indicated that resilient single parents were having (1) positive, optimistic person characteristics, (2) problem-solving coping strategies, (3) supportive relationship with the family of origin, and (4) effective utilization of social support and social resources. The findings also found that resilient parents considered themselves as facing adversity positively, forming new cognition, filling in new perspectives to social labeling, having self-growth and change, being self-assertive and confident, living own life positively, willing to share experiences with others, being thankful, and reframing the meaning of divorce. Due to the small number of subjects as well as methodological limitations this study was considered exploratory in nature. Finally, practice and policy implications as well as research limitations were discussed. |
