Family “Bonds”: Making Meaning of Parent–Child Relationships in Estrangement Narratives

Scharp, Kristina M.; Thomas, Lindsey J.

doi:10.1080/15267431.2015.1111215

Cited by 71 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Alongside this research, a literature has emerged in the past 10 years that has focused specifically on parents and adult children who are “estranged” (Agllias, , , , , , ; Agllias & Gray, ; Allen & Moore, ; Carr, Holman, Abetz, Kellas, & Vagnoni, ; Conti, ; Conti & Ryan ; Dattilio & Nichols, ; Gilligan, Suitor, & Pillemer, ; Jerrome, ; Kim, ; Scharp, , ; Scharp & Dorrance Hall, ; Scharp & McLaren, ; Scharp & Thomas, ; Scharp, Thomas, & Paxman, ). This literature confirms that contrary to dominant expectations and assumptions about the involuntary, ever‐lasting nature of family relationships, some parents and children have a distant and/or inactive relationship.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Parents and Children Who Are Estranged in Adulthood: A Review and Discussion of the Literature

Blake

2017

J of Family Theo & Revie

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This review article examines what is known about estrangement between parents and adult children in terms of definition, prevalence, causes, and consequences. Estrangement has been defined and conceptualized in different ways, although most definitions have focused on the negative quality of the relationship and the voluntarily or intentional decision of at least one family member to initiate and maintain distance. A diverse range of factors that are often interlinked has been found to contribute to estrangement. The consequences of estrangement from a parent or child include experiencing reduced levels of psychological well‐being, feelings of loss, and experiences and/or perceptions of stigma. The estrangement literature has the potential to reveal variation in the quality of parent–child relationships in adulthood so that family scholars can move beyond our assumptions and understand family relationships as they are, rather than how they could or should be.

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confidence: 99%

Parents and Children Who Are Estranged in Adulthood: A Review and Discussion of the Literature

Blake

2017

J of Family Theo & Revie

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“…Following Baxter's () lead, the second wave of RDT family research has used the theory to explore normative (civilian) family forms and concerns such as sibling relationships (Halliwell & Franken, ), college‐aged mother–daughter relationships (Harrigan & Miller‐Ott, ), older parents' relationships with their adult children (Wenzel & Poynter, ), remarriage (Wilder, ), and forgiveness within family relationships (Carr & Wang, ). A growing number of RDT‐informed scholars are focusing on nonnormative civilian family relationships and concerns such as adoptive families (Baxter, Norwood, Asbury, & Scharp, ; Norwood & Baxter, ) and queer motherhood (Suter, Seurer, Webb, Grewe, & Koenig Kellas, ), as well as the negotiation of transgender family member identities (Norwood, , ) and familial estrangement (Scharp & Thomas, ). These latter studies have centered their analyses on RDT's “critical underpinnings” (Suter & Norwood, , p. 294) by exposing problematic cultural assumptions and master narratives, as well as “critiquing marginalization, by a wariness toward totalization and normalization, and by hope to open space for voices that are muted or dismissed” (Suter & Norwood, , p. 294).…”

Section: Relational Dialectics Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Relational Dialectics Theory: A New Approach for Military and Veteran‐Connected Family Research

Parcell

Baker

2018

J of Family Theo & Revie

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Military and veteran‐connected family scholarship focusing on transitions has a lengthy history across disciplines. Much of this research involves normative military families (i.e., a service member husband and civilian wife with biological children); however, military families are diverse, due in part to societal and military policy changes (e.g., marriage equality; repeal of “don't ask, don't tell”). Although theories used in the past might still apply, we argue that critical theories are useful, even necessary, for studying the experiences of normative and nonnormative military families (e.g., those with same gender spouses or parents, stepfamilies), as both are nontraditional relative to their civilian counterparts. We share an approach developed within communication, relational dialectics theory (RDT), that focuses on power from a critical perspective and offers ideas for potential positive social change. RDT also provides contrapuntal analysis, a method ideal for studying relational turning points and transitional periods of military and veteran‐connected families.

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“…Indeed, "Revealing information about the self is risky because one is potentially vulnerable to being hurt, rejected, ridiculed, or humiliated" (Finkenauer, Kubacka, Engels, & Kerkhof, 2009, p. 304). Parent-child estrangement is a particularly stigmatizing process, and adult children might be discouraged from sharing details for all the previously outlined reasons (Agllias, 2013;Scharp & Thomas, 2016). As such, scholars have posited that people concerned about negative evaluation are less apt to reveal their information (see Caughlin, Afifi, Carpenter-Theune, & Miller, 2005;Macdonald & Morely, 2001).…”

Section: Estrangement Distress Disclosure and Confidant Reactionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given cultural discourses that suggest parents and children should be together (see Scharp & Thomas, 2016), it is unsurprising that many people's initial reaction is to facilitate reconnection. Given cultural discourses that suggest parents and children should be together (see Scharp & Thomas, 2016), it is unsurprising that many people's initial reaction is to facilitate reconnection.…”

Section: Practical Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition to being a major disruption, research suggests that parent-child estrangement is a particularly stigmatizing process for both parents and children (Agllias, 2011(Agllias, , 2013Scharp & Thomas, 2016). To add to what we know about the parents' perspective (Agllias, 2011(Agllias, , 2013; see also Agllias, 2016b), the present study focuses on the experience of adult children.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Parent–Child Estrangement: Conditions for Disclosure and Perceived Social Network Member Reactions

Scharp

2016

Family Relations

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Disclosing a family disruption like estrangement might be an important first step in garnering supportive communication, yet disclosure also might come with costs. Grounded in the disclosure literatures, this study illuminates the conditions under which adult children disclose estrangement from parents to their social networks and the perceived reactions of social network members to such disclosures. Findings from a thematic analysis of 52 narrative interviews reveal that adult children go to great lengths to keep their estrangement private, but disclose (a) when others witnessed conflict, (b) when asked, (c) when disclosure was indirect, and (d) when (they perceived) it would benefit others. Reactions to disclosure were rarely ambivalent, and adult children primarily felt unsupported by their network. Practical applications are discussed.

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Family “Bonds”: Making Meaning of Parent–Child Relationships in Estrangement Narratives

Cited by 71 publications

References 26 publications

Parents and Children Who Are Estranged in Adulthood: A Review and Discussion of the Literature

Parents and Children Who Are Estranged in Adulthood: A Review and Discussion of the Literature

Relational Dialectics Theory: A New Approach for Military and Veteran‐Connected Family Research

Parent–Child Estrangement: Conditions for Disclosure and Perceived Social Network Member Reactions

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