EXPLORING THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF STUDENT FROM BROKEN

FAMILY AT THE SCHOOL OF OUR LADY OF ATOCHA, INC.

A Research study
Presented to the
Faculty of the Senior High School
School of Our Lady of Atocha, Inc.
Magsaysay, Alicia, Isabela

_________________________

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for

Practical Research 1

________________________

by:

DIMALANTA, JONUEL KIRBY, S.

LABAYOG, JAN MARK, J.

SACLAYAN, IRACHAEL MAE, O.

UMAYAM, TRAVIS, D.

March 2017

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page…………………………………………………………….

………………….i

CHAPTER I: THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………..

….1

Statement of the

Problem………………………………………………………………..3

Scope and Delimitation of the

study…………………………………………………….3

Significance of the

Study………………………………………………………………..4

Definition of

Terms……………………………………………………………………...5

Theoretical

Framework………………………………………………………………….6

Conceptual

Framework………………………………………………………………….8

Research

Paradigm……………………………………………………………………....9

CHAPTER II: REVIEW O RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Foreign Literature…………………………………………………………………..

…..10
Synthesis………………………………………………………………………………..11

Foreign

Studies…………………………………………………………………………12

Synthesis………………………………………………………………………………

..13

Local

Literature…………………………………………………………………………13

Synthesis………………………………………………………………………………..14

Local

Studies……………………………………………………………………………15

Synthesis………………………………………………………………………………

...16

CHAPTER III: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research

Design…………………………………………………………………………18

Respondents of the

Study………………………………………………………………..18

Data gathering Instrument…………………………………..…………………….

…….18

Data Gathering Procedure……………………………………………………….…….

…19

Data Analysis………………………………………………………………………….…19

CHAPTER IV: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Results…………………………………………………………………………………....20

Discussion……………………………………………………………………………..…21

CHAPTER V: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATION

Summary of Findings………………………………………………………………….....27

Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….27

Recommendations………………………………………………………………………..28

Acknowledgement………………………… ………………………………..…………30

Bibliography……………………………………………………………..………………31
 CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND IT’S BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION

Family is a place full of hope, comfort, and support. Everything about a person

mostly depends on the state of the family to which he belongs. Family have served us

greatly through our development, their influence affects us how we percieve many things

and provided us experiences that helped us learn about life.

Disharmony in a family, which is the result of a broken home, can have an impact

on the level of individual psychological well-being (llhamuddin, 2023).

A person's actions towards others reflect the actions of the person he often mingles

with. Living under the same add to the reasons for how dependent he is on the family;

any adversity would affect his whole life. Such traumatic matters regarding family

relationships, like parent separation, could have severe effects on the people concerned,

the children. The poor family conditions can be called broken home family (Adu-Okoree

et al., 2020).

According to Martinez (2022) There are various aspects of family dynamics, such

as parenting styles, familial relationships, and socioeconomic status, play crucial roles in

shaping a student's academic performance and overall well-being. Specifically,

supportive and conducive family environments are associated with positive academic

attitudes, higher self-esteem, and increased motivation among students. A broken family

is a household where the parents are not living together, have been separated, or are

divorced for a variety of reasons, such as abuse, stubborn differences, financial

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difficulties, or other problems. Broken families are not unusual; rather, they are

increasing and frequently present in our daily lives. Since the familial relationship is

disrupted, students from broken homes may suffer emotional, psychological, and social

consequences.

It is said that children, being part of a broken family, are suffering five times than

their parents do. Parental separation really causes problems in emotional, behavioral and

academic aspects. Studies also say that those teenagers are worse off than those with

continuously married parents in terms of academic success, conduct, psychological well-

being, and peer relations system. Thus, it appears like adolescents are the innocent

victims of their parents’ inability to maintain harmonious and stable homes (Amato

2017). To support the previous statements, it is said that the children are at risk when it

comes to single- parenting arrangement. Most adolescents living with only one parent are

economically disadvantaged. Parents cannot afford to buy consumer goods in order to

give their child status among their peers. It results to juvenile delinquency of teenagers.

Aside from this, quality of parenting is one predictor of behavioral problems among

adolescents. They find it difficult to function as parents in the near future (Keith 2017).

Family breakup can cause emotional pain and instability that might affect a student's

ability to focus, stay motivated, and perform academically. Because of their past familial

experiences, students from broken families may find it difficult to build trusting

relationships and healthy relationships. Many students from broken families show

courage and resiliency in the face of hardship. Gradually, these emotions can compound

and contribute to toxic isolation that prevents from developing relationships or tapping

into the possibilities that could otherwise provide fulfillment and happiness (Johnson,

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2020). Students can benefit greatly from the guidance of teachers, counselors, friends,

family, and community services as they work through the challenges posed by the

separation of families.

This study intended to gain knowledge about broken families in the perspective of

senior high school students at the School of Our Lady of Atocha.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study have seeked to understand the lived experiences of students from

broken families and the implication of their family structure on their daily life

experiences. This research will also investigate the participants coping mechanisms to

cope with the challenges brought by their family structure.

Specifically, It seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What are the experiences and challenges faced by students from broken families?

2. What are the implications of broken family structures on students’ lives?

3. What are the roles of family in shaping a student’s personality?

4. How do the participants cope with the challenges brought by their situation?

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF STUDY

This study primarily focused on describing the lives of School of Our Lady of

Atocha's Senior High School students from a broken family in existing problem lies in

the multifaceted challenges faced by students from broken families.

The respondents involved in this study are twenty (20) students from the School Of

Our Lady of Atocha who participated in this study. The researchers assessed their

experiences in terms of the following: (1) challenges encountered; (2) feelings and

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emotions; (3) responsibilities; (4) coping mechanisms; and (5) mental and emotional

status. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data. Afterward, the participants

experiences were analyzed and interpreted by the researchers.

This study have included the senior high school students experiencing broken family

and are currently employed as a participant, the study only took place in the vicinity of

Our Lady of Atocha, Inc. Due to the fact that there will be limited resources, manpower,

and time available for this investigation.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research has provided new perspective in approaching the lives of students

from a broken family.

This research study will benefit the following:

Students from broken families. The results of this study can help the student gain

more knowledge about his/her situation and can contribute to find support and guidelines

about what coping strategies that can be used in his/her current situation, which can help

greatly and effectively in his/her physical and psychological well-being.

Community. This study will increase people’s awareness on the difficulties and

challenges experienced by the children and parents from broken families which will serve

as an insight in the community to foster a healthy relationship among families and spread

awareness on the important role of family on child’s wellbeing and welfare.

Academic Institutions and Administrators. Through this research, it will provide

insights and a detailed analysis about broken families to educational institutions and

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administrators, which may promote programs and advocacies regarding to the lives of

students to help students deal with their Broken Family.

Parents. This study may help raise awareness among parents about the importance

of providing stability and support during and after family breakdowns. This may

encourage parents to seek out resources and support networks to mitigate its’ negative

impacts on their children.

Students. The results of this study will provide awareness about the experiences of

other students and the challenges they encounter, this can help them gain empathy, which

will enhance their emotional intelligence and communication skills. It can also guide

efforts to foster resilience in all students, helping them overcome adversity and succeed

academically and personally.

Future Researchers. This study can help other researchers conduct any similar or

related study by serving as a background for their study. Thus, the result of this study can

be used for future discussions on the capabilities of the students who is struggling from a

broken family.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

The terms indicated were defined technically in this study to better grasp the

concepts used in the study:

Broken Family. A broken family generally indicates a family where the parents

have divorced or separated leading to a disruption in the usual family unit. This term can

also encompass family situations with significant conflict, abuse, or dysfunction (Firdausi

et al., 2020).

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 Challenges. It is a plural form of challenge which means difficulties or problems

come from all domains at the same time and requires great efforts, perseverance,

and determination to deal with a set of situations to overcome (Putri, 2022)

Resilience. It is the ability to adaptively cope, maintain well-being, and thrive

despite the challenges posed by family disruption or dysfunction (Sellberg et al., 2018).

Interpersonal Relationships. It describes the connections and interactions

individuals have with others, including family members, peers, and other social networks

(Zhurabekova, 2020).

Non-Traditional Family. A family that does not conform to the societal norm of a

two-parent nuclear family, examples include same-sex families, cohabiting couples, and

single-parent families (Feasey, 2020).

Stepfamily. The stepfamily literature is replete with between group analyses by

which youth residing in step families are compared to youth in other family structures

across indicators of adjustment and well beings (Jensen et al., 2018).

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

A family is a group of people who are connected by blood, marriage, or adoption

and who live together or share strong emotional bonds. But life doesn’t always go as we

plan, many things get broken even the strings that connects a family together.

The Family System Theory proposed by Lang (1959), focuses on understanding the

interactions, dynamics, and roles within families, including how family structures and

communication patterns impact individuals' experiences and behaviors. It assumes that a

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family is understood best by examining the family as one whole system. This one system

is a complex, deeply connected changing collection of parts, subsystems and family

members, where each member has a known purpose or function In the context of the

study, it could help analyze how students from broken families navigate their school

experiences, considering the influence of family dynamics on their academic

performance, social interactions, and emotional well-being. Additionally, according to

this theory, individuals facing a crisis or challenge benefit most from evaluations that

involve all members of the family system, rather than focusing solely on one individual.

Additionally, the theory suggests that families have the capacity to examine their own

dynamics and establish intentional objectives. When a family recognizes that a particular

pattern is dysfunctional, it can identify alternative processes that align with its objectives,

facilitating change. An example of significant change that a family may undertake is

relocation. Understanding the family structure and the interactions within the family

system is crucial. For instance, in a study examining Vietnamese and Cambodian

immigrant families in the United States, data were gathered from both parents and

children to investigate how family dynamics influenced.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

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 This study intended to describe the lived experience of students from broken family.

The study used the IPO framework. The input of the study are the participants' profile

and perception on the experiences of students from broken family.

The process of gathering the participants profile and perception was through

requesting admission to the school head for the approval of the study and informing

consent to the participants. Once the participants were informed, the questionnaire was

distributed through online based form, Google forms with the corresponding links

provided in their social media accounts. Once the gathered information was completed,

the researchers proceed with the analysis of the data through Thematic Analysis. The

output was the assessed experiences, difficulties, and coping mechanisms of students.

RESEARCH PARADIGM

Input Process Output

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 Participants
 Communication  Challenges faced
to the school head by the students
Figure 1. The research paradigm illustrates the relationship of the variables of the study

About the paradigm of the present research, using the input-process-output models,

the input frame presents the participants profile, and the lived experiences of the

participants. Under the process frame were the data gathering procedure and data

analysis, which is by first communicating to the school head, administering

questionnaires, and analyzation of data through thematic analysis. As the final result, the

output or the outcome of the study is the challenges faced by the students, It’s implication

on the students’ lives and the coping strategies they developed while being in a broken

family.

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 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE (RRL)

This chapter contains the related literature and studies that consider the validation of

the importance of the study.

FOREIGN LITERATURE

Parents play a biggest part in our development in life. They take on the most

important role in both our mental and physical health. Parents provide everything that is

needed for a child to properly grow; providinus proper food, educating us about

mannerism, and about thing's that we should and shouldn't do. They influence us to be a

better person.

According to a research study by Ruksana (2017), Children are the ones who suffer

most of broken family. The separation of parents can greatly affect the children, scarring

them physically, emotionally and socially. It is stated that children who experience

having broken family most likely to grow up with low and bad manner, because they

could not receive love, care and concern from their parents. A broken home can make a

child insecure. Insecure, in a sense that he no longer had a complete family he can call his

own. For a child’s mind, a family is composed of a father, mother and children. And

living without either his father or mother will create fear and insecurities in him. Home

provides children with feelings of security and stability. These are essential for personal

and social adjustment. Anything that interferes with these feelings can be regarded as

hazardous for children. Hazardous relationships involve all family members and the

possibility of a broken home becomes greater.

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 In addition, a research study by Angjelkoska et al. (2015), stated that the role of

parents in every life of an individual is essential as they are the ones that serve as the

primary care provider of every child. It is important to establish a sense of security in

every household because it is where a child gets his or her emotional needs and the

feeling of love and belongingness. Being a member of a broken household is difficult

since it has an impact on the lives of all family members, particularly the individual's

self-worth. They struggle to fully value themselves since they believe they are

incomplete as individuals. They struggle to believe that they deserve anything in this

world. They would even distance themselves from others, believing that they were a

burden to them. One aspect that is influenced is their belief that they are not good for

anyone. They believe they are less worthy than others since they come from damaged

homes. Young individuals from dysfunctional homes struggle to open up to another

person for an intimate relationship due to low self-esteem. It is one of the reasons they

have a negative attitude toward marital relationships.

SYNTHESIS

The review of related foreign literature provides insights into the devastating effects

of broken family structures on children and young adults. Saikia emphasizes how

children suffer immensely from parental separation, leaving physical, mental, and social

scars that impact their development. A broken home's lack of love, care, and stability

causes children to feel insecure and scared, impeding their personal and social

development. Emphasize the importance of parents in providing emotional stability and

affection to children, with broken families having a substantial influence on family

members' self-esteem and emotional well-being. Individuals from broken households

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frequently experience low self-esteem, feeling worthless and incomplete, limiting their

capacity to create personal relationships and keep a good attitude toward

marital relationships. Together, these viewpoints indicate the pervasive and long-term

effects of broken family systems on children and young people, emphasizing the

significance of addressing these issues and providing support for their emotional well-

being and relationship growth.

FOREIGN STUDY

According to a research study by Santos (2019). Family has an important part in

shaping pupils' personalities. There are many severe issues concerning family ties, such

as parental separation, family troubles, and miscommunication among family members,

all of which lead to broken homes and student misbehavior. This study also found that

There are two positive behavioral standards and belonging; first was students' behavioral

breakdown; the students experienced behavioral bumps like bad temper, moody,

rebellious, feelings of sadness, irritable or snappy, worrying about little things, feeling

lazy, bored, tired, sleep disturbances, nightmares, sleeping at all times or no sleep at all.

The second was a positive behavioral breakthrough; the respondents displayed strong

social interaction and influenced by positive values that possess a positive outlook in life.

According to Liezl and Leomarich (2020), a broken home is defined as one that is

not structurally intact because of separation of parents, death of one parent, and

illegitimacy. A child acquires initial education and socialization from significant persons

in the family, particularly the parents. In broken homes, students who have suffered from

neglect or lack of care and it is known to be psychologically imbalanced to face the

realities of their lives. It is worth noting that the cognitive development of a child's

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socialization plays a major role. Furthermore, money is mostly the cause of the basic

cause of a couple's arguments. Too much money in a person's mind can cause greediness;

this will let the person forget about love towards their partner. Marital disharmony is a

strong indicator to the academic adjustment and achievement of children because they

usually have a strong bond with the nuclear family, most especially the parents and when

there is an alteration in this relationship, it does affect the children’s schooling. And it is

found out that broken homes or single-parent homes has negatively affects students’

academic achievement and learning attitudes.

SYNTHESIS

The review of related foreign study provides that family plays a crucial role in

shaping students' personalities, Breakdowns in families can lead to student misbehavior,

as parents may neglect or lack care, resulting in negative traits like bad temper and

rebelliousness. This can negatively impact a child's cognitive development, socialization,

and academic achievement. Addressing familial issues is crucial for positive behavioral

development, as children in broken homes often suffer from neglect and lack of care,

affecting their overall well-being.

LOCAL LITERATURE

Based from the study entitled by Lanozo et al. (2021) the findings reveal several key

insights: first is many students from broken families grapple with a multitude of

difficulties, encompassing financial strains, emotional turmoil, mental health issues,

social alienation, and behavioral challenges, all of which contribute to their subpar

academic performance. Second is the students with divorced or separated parents often

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experience neglect and limited support, with inadequate provision of time, care, and

financial assistance for their daily needs and educational expenses. Third is despite the

difficulties, students from broken families exhibit resilience, displaying independence

and maintaining an optimistic outlook on their circumstances. Lastly, these students also

derive positive experiences from their tumultuous family backgrounds, particularly in

terms of personal growth and the cultivation of stronger interpersonal relationships.

According to a study of Felisilda et al. (2020), children are the worst victims of

family breakup, the separation of parents causes the children to be left with no stability

causing them to lose basic concepts of childhood and negative perception that may carry

with them throughout life. It states that a house is the walls of a structure and a house

with a complete family is what makes it a home. It pointed out by Agulana (2000) that

the family lays the psychological, moral, and spiritual foundation in the overall

development of the child. Structurally, family/homes is either broken or intact. A broken

home in this context is one that is not structurally intact, as a result of divorce, separation,

death of one of parent and illegitimacy. Psychological home conditions arise mainly from

illegitimacy of children Frazer (2004), the label of adopted child, broken homes, divorce

and parental deprivation. Such abnormal conditions of the home are likely to have a

detrimental effect on school performance of the child he asserts.

SYNTHESIS

The review of related local literature provided profound insights into the experiences

of students from broken families. These students grapple with various challenges,

including financial strains, emotional turmoil, mental health issues, social alienation, and

behavioral difficulties, all contributing to subpar academic performance. Despite

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adversity, they exhibit resilience, maintaining independence and optimism while deriving

positive experiences from their family backgrounds (Lanozo et al., 2021). However,

Felisilda et al. (2020) findings emphasize the profound impact of family breakup on

children, leading to loss of stability and negative perceptions throughout life. Agulana

(2000) assertion underscores the importance of intact families in providing essential

foundations for children's development, while Frazer (2004) warns of the detrimental

effects of broken homes on academic performance. This review or related local literature

emphasizes the critical need to address the diverse challenges faced by students from

broken families and foster supportive environments to promote their resilience and well-

being.

LOCAL STUDY

The study by Madla et al. (2019), stated that individuals from broken homes are

highly impressionable and the effects of what they have witnessed during childhood are

conventionally carried with them into adulthood. Young adults can define parents as their

role model, mentor and people who will always inspire them to be self-sufficient, socially

responsible and to get along with other individuals. But some other young adults defined

it as traumatic experience, bad influence and considered family as the most hated people

in their life because of being into a broken home. It can affect their whole life, especially

in their marital relationship and in their emotions. Being into a broken family gives a lot

of effects in a young adult’s life. A broken home is where the parents of a family are

separated or divorced (Oxford, 2018). It is a situation wherein the parents of a family

were separated for a reason.

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 The study by Digon (2023), stated that family plays a very important role in an

individual’s life may it be in terms of shaping the person’s personality, beliefs, and

capacity. Families are considered to be the child’s first communal group in the society. A

child defines family as the people who provide warmth and comfort, but if they cause

significant harm in their home life—for example, by separating parents, abusing family

members, or neglecting them—they will have to consider how to deal with pain, betrayal,

unease, or uncertainty. This enables the child to have a fragmented conception of what a

family is in light of the circumstances. Parents are expected to give proper care, support,

and love to their children since they are considered to be the children’s first environment

and most significant people in their lives. When there is constant disagreement and

misbehavior in the home, it leads to children who are ignored, abused, abandoned,

manipulated, deprived, and lonesome. This is known as family dysfunction. Similarly,

children from dysfunctional households typically experience recurrent trauma and grief

from their parents' words and deeds, which leaves them emotionally damaged as adults.

These traumatic childhood events and invisible scars can affect a person well into

adulthood. Having separated parents is one of the causes of broken home which is an

increasing and alarming trend happening in various parts of the world (Saika, 2017).

SYNTHESIS

The review of related local study explores how childhood experiences from broken

families have lasting impacts on young adults' marital relationships. Disruptive familial

dynamics, such as separation or divorce, can lead to negative perceptions of family

members, affecting emotional well-being and relationships in adulthood. Understanding

these impacts is crucial for providing support and intervention to navigate challenges

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effectively. Children from broken homes grow emotionally scarred, experiencing pain,

betrayal, and uncertainty. Family dysfunction can result in recurrent trauma and grief.

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 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter discussed the research design, population and sample, instrumentation,

and data-gathering procedure.

RESEARCH DESIGN

This study used a phenomenological research method for the purpose of describing

the experience of Senior High School students in School of Our Lady of Atocha, Inc., in

having a broken family.

Phenomenology is a type of research that seeks to explain the nature of things

through the way people experience them. It translates literally as the “study of

phenomena.” In other words, it’s the study of the meaning these things (or phenomena)

have in the minds of the audience you’re studying (Hugh, 2023).

PARTICIPANTS OF THE STUDY

The participants involved in this study were the Senior High School students. They

have been chosen as our respondents for the reason that they satisfy all the qualities

required for the fulfillment of our study.

DATA GATHERING INSTRUMENT

The researchers gathered the data using a survey questionnaire, which was

personally floated or mailed through Google forms, in order to assess the variables

postulated in the problem statement.

The questionnaire is divided into two (2) sections. Section 1 consists of the profile

of the participants and Section 2 included the open-ended questions that allowed for an

in-depth analysis of the participants' insights.

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DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE

In order to gather necessary data for this study. The researchers have undergone

processes that led to the findings. First, the gathering of the data proceeds with the

selection of the participants, in which the researchers used purposive sampling to identify

the said participants. Second, the researcher formulated a self-structured questionnaire

that are expected to answer the objectives of this study. Third, the researchers asked

permission from the school principal and administration to conduct a survey in school.

Fourth, after given permission, the researchers proceeded with the collection of data,

which is conducted online through google forms. Floated questionnaires were used when

a chosen respondent can’t be reached online. Fifth, provideed the respondents with an

informed consent for their participation and the corresponding links to the google formed

questionnaire.

DATA GATHERING ANALYSIS

The data gathered were analyzed using thematic analysis. Thematic analysis is a

commonly used method to analyze qualitative data and present themes, allowing for a

comprehensive primary exploration of the participants experiences. The analysis of data

was conducted manually by the researchers with the use of interpretation and assessment

of the presented data. After the data collected from the surveys were interpreted and

assessed, initial codes were then assigned to each segment of the data that appears to be

significant. The classified codes with distinct patterns and relationships were then

grouped into themes. The formulated themes are arranged based on its frequency and

relevance and were further discussed on the results and discussions of the study.

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 CHAPTER IV

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter includes an overview of the study's findings, as well as the analysis and

interpretation of the data acquired. The four research questions are addressed alongside a

textual presentation of the findings that address the specific difficulties identified in the

study with supporting evidence, including quotations and participant feedback.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following are the four (4) primary research questions that led this study:

1. What are the experiences and challenges faced by students from broken families?

2. What are the implications of broken family structures on students’ lives?

3. What are the roles of family in shaping a student’s personality?

4. How do the participants cope with the challenges brought by their situation?

THEMATIC ANALYSIS

This part presents the different themes analyzed by the researchers, which were

grounded in the data gathered in the study.

RESEARCH RESULTS

1. The participants experienced a feeling of resentment towards their parents, they also

experienced financial problems and a longing for a complete family.

2. Students in a broken family grown to became strong and independent person,

however, they also had developed some emotional stress brought by their family

structure.

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3. The family plays an important role in shaping children’s behavior and character since

they serve as a role model of values and character, and they were the support needed by

the child to grow responsibly and maturely.

4. The participants cope with the challenges brought by broken family through the

following: Ignoring criticism, with positive outlook, and acceptance.

Theme 1 and subthemes answered the first research question: “What are the lived

experiences and challenges faced by students from broken families?” Theme 2 and

subthemes answered the second research question: “What are the implications of broken

family structures on students’ daily lives?” Theme 3 and subthemes answered the third

research question: “What are the roles of family in shaping a student’s personality?"

Finally, theme 4 and subthemes answered the fourth research question: “How do the

participants cope with the challenges brought by their situation?”

DISCUSSION

The ten (10) distinct themes that emerged are discussed with the participants

quotation and the frequency of each theme that are arranged according to the research

questions that the study presents.

THEME 1: Experiences

1.1 Feeling of Resentment

Six (6) out of fifteen (15) participants have experienced feeling of resentment in

facing broken family. Participant 7 stated that, “I was quite sad but i thought maybe it

was for the best. They chose to be that way then i will stay in the middle and just do my

part as their daughter.” Participant 2 added that, “for me, it is for the better that my

parents separate than fighting and cheating to each other.” Participant 1 also stated that,

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“I felt sad but at the same time I understand the reason why they should not be together

anymore”

1.2 Financial Problems

In the total of fifteen (15) participants, there’s two (2) who faced financial probems

as their greatest problem. Participant 1 stated that, “My greatest challege and problem

due to family situation is financial problem” Participant 8 explained that, “the biggest

challenge I faced was financial problem because we didn't know where to start when our

parents decided to separate, even though I was young I was still affected and I was

wondering how I could help my mother, and another challenge that I face is that my

guardian didn't give me much time because they was busy with business, so I neglected

my studies and I just enjoyed with my friends because I was still young at that time.”.

1.3 Longing for a Complete Family

Eleven (11) out of fifteen (15) participants faced their longing of a complete family

as their greatest challenge. Participant 3 expressed that, “There are instances that i feel

jealous of other people that have complete and happy family. But I always say to myself

that i should be grateful and thankful, because even though they are separated they

always show their love and care for me.” Participant 8 relayed that, “when I was in grade

4 because I was jealous of my classmates because they had a whole family and we

didn't”. Participant 9 added that “the greatest challenge on my life for having a broken

family is getting jealous to see a complete family”.

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THEME 2: Implication of Broken Family

2. 1 Emotional Stress

Ten (10) out of fifteen (15) participants have developed emotional stresses due to

they’re experience in broken family. Participant 1 expressed that, “they not always here

with me coz they're not together anymore and sometimes it impacts my well-being like

being depressed or stress because there's no one I can lean on.” Participant 8 stated that,

“There were both benefits and drawbacks of growing up in a broken home for me.

Emotional awkwardness resulted from the unpredictable nature and ongoing

confrontation. But it also gave me lessons in resiliency and independence.”. Participant 2

added that “i grew up to have a trust issues and anger issues”.

2.2 Strong and Independent

All the fifteen (15) participants perceived that broken family taught them to become

stronger and more independent. Participant 3 explained that “This situation teaches me to

be strong by keep improving and be independent by standing on your own without

depending on others.” Participant 8 also explained that “Survival is something I learned

from having a shattered family. I gained knowledge on how to express my emotions,

embrace change, and look after my mental health. It helped me to appreciate the

importance of having friends, help systems, and experts on your side.”. Participant 7

stated that “I guess it taught me to be careful of who you choose and don't give your all,

you should save love for yourself above all.”.

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THEME 3: Role of Family

3.1 Role Model

Fourteen (14) out of fifteen (15) participants believed that families are the role

models in shaping the student’s personality. Participant 8 proved that, “Indeed, I do think

that a person's family has a big influence on their personality. My personal experience

indicates that values, beliefs, and behaviors are influenced by family, and these factors

all play a role in the formation of an individual's personality. “it was fine because my

father does not make me feel that i don’t have a mother”. Participant explained that

“Since I was a kid, I don't have any courage to strike a conversation with other people

but growing up i realized that this personality of mine is my strength because there are

instances that my personality saves me from getting into trouble. My family always

making me comfortable, and they don't force me to share my thoughts with them and I

think that's the cause of my personality to build up.”. Participant 7 added that “Yes,

because having family changes and defines who you are. Where and what you grow to

will be the reflection of who would you be in the future.”.

3.2 Support

Ten (10) out of fifteen (15) participants perceived that the support of their family

plays a big role in shaping the child’s personality. Participant 3 stated that, “Family

should have each other’s back. Even if the whole world turns their self on you, your

family should always be with you..” Participant 8 described that, “My family is the

cornerstone of my support system. Our bonds are not only biological; they are also

emotional. It's the circle of people who support me consistently, love me no matter what,

and give me a sense of security. They are the people I celebrate my victories and

24
hardships with, and I know that they will always be there for me no matter where life

leads me. My family is where I truly am, and it brings me comfort to know that they are a

stable anchor in a world where things are changing so quickly.”. Participant 2 believed

that families, “stick together when there is a problem and supports each other”.

THEME 4: Coping strategies

4.1 Ignoring criticism

Eleven (11) among the fifteen (15) participants deal with the challenges bought by

broken family through ignoring comments and criticism. Participant 7 described that, “I

just keep quiet because I do believe that they couldn't do anything about it, they cannot

change anything because what's done is done. All you need was to move forward and

keep going.” Participant 11 strongly stated that, “I don’t care at all, why would i care to

those people that judge my family situation”. Participant 9 humbly stated that “what I'm

doing is keeping quiet because it will only hurt me more if they are punished”.

4.2 Positive Outlook

Ten (10) out of fifteen (15) participants have viewed challenges with positive

outlook and used it to improve. Participant 9 proudly say that, “I make deliberate efforts

to keep my self-compassion and understanding intact when I'm the target of criticism and

judgement on my family's situation. I always remind myself that neither my value nor my

feelings in my family are determined by the opinions of others. I put my attention on the

good things in my life and the determination that I've developed through them. I seek

friends, mentors, or experts for assistance when I need it, as they offer a safe and

accepting environment in which I may share my emotions. I cling to the idea that each

family is distinct and that obstacles are a natural part of life that may develop resilience

25
and personal growth.”. Participant 15 advised that “the only thing I can advise is that

they should not be affected by the negativity brought by the people around them, just

focus on their goals and studies and let it be an inspiration to them to persevere”.

Participant 11 also adviced that, “for me as long as we can fight we know we will get

through it all let's do good and make them an inspiration”.

4.3 Acceptance

Eight (8) out of fifteen (15) participants have coped with the challenges brought by

broken family through accepting the situation and live on. As participant described that,

“I’ve accepted it HABANG tumatanda ako and moving forward because I can’t do much

about it it’s not my decision it’s theirs decision.” Participant 8 explained that, “Even

though I've accepted the separation of my parents, I'm nonetheless content since our

family has changed but has not abandoned its responsibilities. Although I've known that

their paths have separated, our family's affection and obligation to one another is

unaffected. We all keep playing our parts, encouraging one another and upholding the

ties that bind us. We can still be a family in the purest sense even though we live apart

simply because to our shared regard for one another and dedication to one another's

well-being.” and Participant 1 adviced that “my advice is that you need to accept

everything, don't give up even though you're not having a complete family just be yourself

and love your mother and father”.

26
 CHAPTER V

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presents the summary of findings, conclusions and recommendtions

that can be derived in studying the lived experiences of students from broken family.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

This study was conducted to explore the lived experiences of students from broken

family. In pursuit of the students’ experiences, the data were collected through the

distribution of google based form online survey questionnaires to the fifteen (15) students

from senior high school of School of Our Lady of Atocha, Inc. With the use of thematic

analysis the gathered data presents a total of ten (10) themes that sought the different

perspectives upon experiencing broken family, the challenges they encountered, it’s

implication on their daily lives and wellbeing, and the strategies they used to cope with

the different difficulties encountered, and the role of family in shaping the students

personality.

CONCLUSION

Given the study's findings, the following conclusions can be taken or articulated.

1. The study concluded that the experiences faced by students from broken

families resulted to the feeling of resentment and encountered challenges such as

financial problems and longing for a complete family. However, some of the

students perceived those difficulties as a motivation to keep going forward and

succeed in life.

2. The study revealed that the implication of broken family structures on the

students’ daily lives resulted to developing of emotional stresses on the student

27
 that causes negative personalities or behavior among the students. Nevertheless,

the participants also perceived that the experiences helped them grow stronger

and independent.

3. As perceived by the students, the role of family is to serve as a support and

role model in shaping the students character and behavior .

4. Finally, the study found that the participants cope with the challenges

brought by their situation ignoring criticism and view them with a positive

outlook that is used to improve and be the better version of oneself, without

letting adversities go through their way, In addition, some students cope with the

challenges just by accepting the situation and moving on.

As the result of findings, the study showed that students from broken families faced

many adversities through their experience and continued to strive to reach their dreams

regardless their situation. Furthermore, they also learned their own unique way to cope

with the difficulties and focused on moving forward.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the results about its significant effects of broken family on the students’, here

are some recommendations to be considered.

1. Students from broken family should think of their own or find a coping strategy

to avoid any negative impact coming from their situation.

2. Community should provide familial programs to create deeper bonds between

families and foster everyone to avoid criticizing children from broken families.

3. Academic institutions should promote guidance services to students from

broken families to guide them to clearer path.

28
4. Parents should still engage and fill their children with positivity about their

family regardless the situation.

5. Students should treat other students from broken families equally with no

discrimination towards each other and avoid any familial jokes because this might

become heavy for them.

6. Future researchers may compare the findings of the current study with other

studies and explore another demographic or different aspect of the study and

suggest policies for improvement at both school and university level.

29
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This study was made successful through the aid of significant persons who support,

guided, and helped the researcher throughout the completion of the study. The outmost

gratitude is given to the following individuals whom the researcher gained the inspiration

and knowledge necessary to ensure a positive outcome for this study.

To Ma'am Jenny D. Navarro, research adviser, for sharing her knowledge and

expertise.

and for her patient supervision in the making of this study.

To Ma’am Marie Anne J. Alejo for approving the request to conduct the study at

the School of Our Lady of Atocha, Inc.

To the Panel of Examiners, for their encouragement, insightful comments and

suggestions for the best outcome of this research paper.

To Ma’am Jasmine N. Bautista our adviser, for her invaluable guidance and

support throughout our studies. Her expertise, patience, and dedication have been

instrumental in helping us navigate the challenges of our academic program and achieve

our goal.

To the participants, who gave their time to answer the survey questionnaires with

honesty and sincerity.

To our classmates, who gives unending support for the completion of this study.

And foremost, to the Almighty God, for the guidance and strength He bestowed all

the way as the researcher accomplished this study.

30
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