Young Children Experiencing Separation and Divorce !1
Kennedi Huff
950368723
Summary
In this article, researchers experienced with children dealing with separation and divorce.
The study was performed because researchers wanted to explore the actions of teachers to
support young children experiencing parental separation and divorce. Separation and divorce can
be very stressful on children. In the United States of America, the U.S. Census Bureau (2012)
reported that 55 % of marriages in 2009 ended in divorce. The hypothesis was that if teachers
constructed support and formed partnerships, then the kids would be less stressed due to them
dealing with the divorce situation. Twenty-one teachers consisting of twenty females and one
male from different locations in Victoria, Australia participated in semi-structured face-to-face
interviews. Participants are selected according to their suitability to provide knowledge of the
circumstance. Classroom teachers who experience the circumstances directly in their daily
contact with children and who have more contact with children than any other professional, were
considered the most appropriate informants for the study. A focus group was organized with a
convenience sample composed of six participants, five female and one male, inducted from one
school district. In the focus group, five participants were new to the study and one participant
had already been an interview participant. The focus group was organized in one location.
Interviews lasted between 20 and 45 min and were recorded. Teachers were asked to tell
about a day or a particular episode they had experienced with a child or children from separated
or divorced parents. Questions were prepared ahead of time to analyze what was requested and
Young Children Experiencing Separation and Divorce !2
Kennedi Huff
950368723
guide the conversation (Corbin and Strauss 2008; Hatch 2002). Researchers asked
questions such as ‘‘Can you give an example?’’ and ‘‘Please describe what you mean,’’ because
those questions
are used to encourage discussion and to clarify and extend teachers’ comments.
Researchers focus on asking detail questions so they can receive an accurate amount of data. I
definitely liked that the researchers asked precise questions to gain clarity on the topic. I like
how they made sure the participants of the interviews were relevant to the study. I would have
loved to see the researches talk to some children who parents was divorcing or separating. I think
