A study into the effects on adult children of their parents remarrying has been launched by a US academic.
Sylvia Mikucki-Enyart is assistant professor of interpersonal communications at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in the north-central United States. She is looking for participants who were aged 18 or over and living independently when their parents divorced and then remarried.
The study will focus on the mixed emotions, feelings of uncertainly and communication difficulties associated with “late-life stepfamily formation”.
Participants will be interviewed by phone and also receive limited expense payments.
Earlier this year Professor Mikucki-Enyart published research on adult children of parents who divorce late in life and the new study is as an extension of that project, which highlighted the emotional complexities experienced by such children.
The Professor explained:
“The perception is divorce is not as hard if you’re an adult. It’s still extremely hard for them.”
She hopes to develop a range of resources which help make such adults better communicate with their parents.
“It’s OK to feel uncertain. How can we provide support to help adult children navigate the unknowns and talk openly about sensitive issues between generations?”
For more information, email [email protected].
