LIVED EXPERIENCES OF ADOLESCENTS IN A BLENDED FAMILY

Numerous teenagers struggle with emotional and behavioral issues that might have an adverse effect on their prospects for later life. Blended family exists because of remarriages of the parents and could also be a separation. Research about the step family discusses the complexities of blended families. Individual personalities and thoughts and feelings can create challenges for children, particularly as they are young, to identify their own place in the family. Nevertheless, there are possibilities to facilitate a child in adapting to a blended family. The study aimed to explore the lived experiences of adolescents in a blended family set-up. The study used a qualitative method which is a phenomenological research approach. This approach was intended for understanding the experiences in terms of familial and interpersonal relationships. The participants were adolescents aged 13-15 years old. The researcher collected data from the individuals through an interview method. The gathered data information was analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), and the essential statements aligned with the study's objectives and purposely were investigated and sorted into codes and themes. The participants were selected using snowball sampling and they lived and reside in Gumaca, Quezon. The findings of the study imply that there is a need for a strong bond relationship between the parents and the adolescents as well as the financial assistance for the parents. Findings of the study were used to develop an output program to raise awareness and information. The program focused mainly on the adolescents and parents to family and interpersonal relationship.