Research Article

The Mediator Roles of Mothers in Father-Child Communications and Family Relationships

Volume: 19 Number: 84 November 30, 2019
TR EN

The Mediator Roles of Mothers in Father-Child Communications and Family Relationships

Abstract

Purpose: In many middle-class families in Turkey, mothers typically occupy a mediator role in father-child communications, meaning that messages between fathers and children (particularly regarding an important subject) are sent through mothers. This phenomenological study investigates Turkish father-child communication dynamics, the roles of mothers in this relationship, and the effects of mothers acting as mediators in communications between father and child. Research Methods: This study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analyses to reveal the essence of the relationship of participants with their fathers and their shared experiences regarding the reflection of the mother’s role in the father-child relationship and common meanings that have been established. Employing a homogeneous sampling method, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 middle-class undergraduate students (nine female and six male students) aged 19-24 (x=21.33) in Istanbul, Turkey. Findings: Our analyses revealed the following three overarching themes that define the experiences of the participants: (i) an unsatisfactory father-child relationship, (ii) the mother: relational fulcrum of the father-child communications, and (iii) problematic emotional reactions to family-interactions. Implications for Research and Practice: This study represents a critical step towards understanding the experiences of youths raised in families wherein mothers occupy a mediator role in father-child communications. It revealed that the father-child relationship does not represent a satisfactory relationship and that this relationship is associated with a sense of deprivation by the children. A comparative evaluation of the experiences of the fathers, mothers, and children would enrich the interpretations and help to obtain a more complicated view of these family relationships.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

-

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Publication Date

November 30, 2019

Submission Date

July 3, 2019

Acceptance Date

November 13, 2019

Published in Issue

Year 2019 Volume: 19 Number: 84

APA
Celık, H. (2019). The Mediator Roles of Mothers in Father-Child Communications and Family Relationships. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 19(84), 135-158. https://doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2019.84.7
AMA
1.Celık H. The Mediator Roles of Mothers in Father-Child Communications and Family Relationships. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research. 2019;19(84):135-158. doi:10.14689/ejer.2019.84.7
Chicago
Celık, Hilal. 2019. “The Mediator Roles of Mothers in Father-Child Communications and Family Relationships”. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research 19 (84): 135-58. https://doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2019.84.7.
EndNote
Celık H (November 1, 2019) The Mediator Roles of Mothers in Father-Child Communications and Family Relationships. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research 19 84 135–158.
IEEE
[1]H. Celık, “The Mediator Roles of Mothers in Father-Child Communications and Family Relationships”, Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, vol. 19, no. 84, pp. 135–158, Nov. 2019, doi: 10.14689/ejer.2019.84.7.
ISNAD
Celık, Hilal. “The Mediator Roles of Mothers in Father-Child Communications and Family Relationships”. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research 19/84 (November 1, 2019): 135-158. https://doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2019.84.7.
JAMA
1.Celık H. The Mediator Roles of Mothers in Father-Child Communications and Family Relationships. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research. 2019;19:135–158.
MLA
Celık, Hilal. “The Mediator Roles of Mothers in Father-Child Communications and Family Relationships”. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, vol. 19, no. 84, Nov. 2019, pp. 135-58, doi:10.14689/ejer.2019.84.7.
Vancouver
1.Hilal Celık. The Mediator Roles of Mothers in Father-Child Communications and Family Relationships. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research. 2019 Nov. 1;19(84):135-58. doi:10.14689/ejer.2019.84.7