Identifying the Development of Trust in Step-Parent–Child Relationships
Keywords:
Trust development, stepfamilies, qualitative research, emotional disclosure, communication, Georgia, family relationshipsAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to identify and describe the lived experiences, relational mechanisms, and developmental trajectories involved in the formation of trust between step-parents and children in Georgian stepfamilies.
Methods and Materials: A qualitative research design with a phenomenological approach was employed to explore participants’ subjective experiences of trust development. The study involved 20 participants from various regions of Georgia, including 10 step-parents and 10 step-children who had lived together for at least one year. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews and analyzed thematically using NVivo 14 software. Interviews continued until theoretical saturation was reached. Data analysis followed Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework for thematic analysis, with member checking and peer debriefing used to enhance credibility.
Findings: The analysis revealed three overarching themes: (1) Foundations of Trust Formation, encompassing emotional availability, communication openness, and behavioral consistency; (2) Challenges and Barriers to Trust, including divided loyalty, miscommunication, role ambiguity, and cultural stigma; and (3) Pathways Toward Mutual Trust, characterized by gradual emotional disclosure, reciprocity, forgiveness, and respect for individuality. Trust development was found to be a gradual, non-linear process shaped by both personal histories and sociocultural context. Participants emphasized that consistent empathy, reliability, and shared activities were critical to transforming emotional distance into mutual confidence.
Conclusion: Trust in step-parent–child relationships emerges through a dynamic interplay of emotional, communicative, and contextual factors. While challenges such as loyalty conflicts and role confusion initially hinder relationship growth, open communication, patience, and mutual respect enable families to reconstruct a sense of belonging and stability. The findings highlight the necessity of therapeutic and educational interventions that support empathy, emotional literacy, and boundary clarity in stepfamilies.
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