Understanding the lived experiences of families with Extended Family Members: a phenomenological study

Resumo

Having extended family members is a common problem some people in the present generation face. An extended family consists of more than two generations of relatives living together or in proximity, including grandparents, aunts, and in-laws. However, this phenomenon received little interest in the context of the Philippines. This study aimed to describe the struggles, coping mechanisms, and insights of having extended family members in this modern society, particularly in the Philippines. We engaged in a descriptive phenomenological research design. Twelve participants had extended family members, and the data were analyzed using Colazzi’s method. The results revealed the following themes: Financial problems and Family conflict for their struggles, Faith and Resilience for coping mechanisms, and Intensive family support for their insights. Despite having an extended family member who experienced challenges in their lives, The participants discovered how to meet their daily needs while helping one another in order to get through life and accept that they have extended family members, especially when it comes to being responsible and devoted to one another as an extended family.