Abstract

The aim of the article was to present these areas of family lives of spouses experiencing separation due to labour migration that are significant for the quality of the relationship between the spouses and for the perception of the undertaken migration effort in the categories of family success or failureThe study involved a random sample from three Polish provinces: Lubelskie, Opolskie and Pod-laskie Province. The overall number of respondents was 1490, out of whom 38% had experienced the separation of the family due to migration. The research was conducted employing a structured (standardised) interview using the questionnaire designed for the study needs. Based on the answers it was possible to identify 11 areas of family functioning which, according to the respondents, are crucial for the quality of the relationship within a family functioning at a distance. The following are considered by the respondents the fundamen-tal areas that bring together the marital and family relationship: 1) clearly identified aim of migration approved by all family members; 2) maintaining unanimity of family members aiming at the clearly identified goal; 3) aiming at relatively frequent mutual visits and 4) mutual assurance of both spouses about their affection. However, in such areas of family functioning as: 1) division of duties or 2) being responsible for family finances, the spouses differed and took up contradictory operating, striving and expectation strategies. These differences underwent a detailed analysis showing potential conflict areas within migrant families. Some conclusions were formulated for the need of consultancy and therapeutic work involving migrant families, by showing functioning mechanisms and identifying poten-tial support directions.

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