A construção da identidade e as dinâmicas relacionais entre padrasto e enteado numa família recomposta

Abstract

The stepfamilies can be defined as the families where at least one of the partners is a stepfather or stepmother of the son’s current mate. This research has on its purpose to understand how the identity and the relational dynamics between stepfather and stepson are constructed in a stepfamily, through a instrumental case study with a qualitative nature. We used semi-structured interviews which were applied to the couple, to the stepson, and to the grandparents of the stepfamily. The instruments applied were the Remarriage Belief Inventory (Higginbotham & Adler-Baeder, 2008), the Stepparent Role Strain Index (Fellmann, Galán, Roque & Galán, 2008), the La Duppia Luna (Greco, 1999) and the Ecomapa (Hartman, 1978). In this work we will present the details of the results of the Stepparent Role Strain Index application (Fellmann, Galán, Roque & Galán, 2008). The main results show us that at the construction of the stepfamily’s couple there is an interference between the conjugal and the filial subsystem. Although there is an affective, relational and ethic dimension, difficulties in the relationship are verified. Besides, a presence of idealizations and expectations for the new union are observed. In the stepfather’s role construction and the construction of the relationship between stepfather and stepson, the centrality of the motherly figure is highlighted as well as the importance of the time factor.

Date of Award	Oct 2012
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Armanda Gonçalves (Supervisor)