The phenomenon of resilience among black adolescents from divorced families in the Vaal Triangle Area

Abstract

In South Africa today many adolescents are faced with having to cope with their parents' divorce. There are many risks that occur when adolescents are faced with divorce. Of late research has suggested that parental divorce is an increasingly common phenomenon in black families, but there is no literature which focuses on what contributes to black adolescents coping resiliently with their parents' divorce. The purpose of this study was to provide answers, by means of a literature review and empirical research, to what the antecedents of resilience are among black adolescents coping resiliently with their parents divorce. This was achieved by using a qualitative phenomenological design: ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with resilient black adolescents coping well with their parents' divorce. This study makes a contribution to theory because it suggests a new resilience -promoting resource for black youth from divorced homes, namely dedicated support from friends and teachers (support that is 'always' available), not noted in previous resilience studies. This study also contributed to theory by confirming that resilience promoting processes such as community-facilitated spaces (hostel residence), extra-curricular activities at school and cultural rites encourage resilience among youth whose parents are divorced. This has not been noted in previous literature studies. The findings of this study were used to draft recommendations for Life Orientation teachers on how to encourage resilience among black South African adolescents coping with the adversities of their parents' divorce. In so doing my study made a potential contribution to practice.