The Role of Family and Community Mythology in How Couples and Families Spend Their Spare Time
Journal Title: Journal of Experiential Psychotherapy - Year 2015, Vol 18, Issue 4
Abstract
Introduction: In the present article we have presented the means of representing spare time both for couples and families divided into three age groups, and taking into account the explored family and community mythologies as well as the family psycho-genealogic dynamics, that of passing on a way of enjoying spare time within a couple or a family. Through exploration and recognition of transmission methods, with regards to how the subjects spent their spare time, they succeeded in acknowledging the impact of their current life rhythm and to redefine their expectations about their spare time. Objectives: The article’s objective was to centre on exploring how the subjects spent their spare time, exploring the means through which the idea of spare time was passed down from generation to generation (family and community mythologies about spending freely time, in couples or with the family). At the same time we ment to pinpoint the effect perceived and experienced by the subjects pertaining to insufficient or absence of spare time. Methods: In order to study the methods through which the research participants perceived spare time and time spent at work we used the qualitative research method that allows us to find out the meaning and implications of the studied phenomenon. Qualitative research of data is a branch of Interpretative Phenomenological Analyisis (IPA) and offers insights on how individuals, in given contexts (spending their spare time with their partners or family) makes sense of a particular phenomenon.Thus we came up with a life-story type semi-structured interview guide which allowed the observation of relevant aspects pertaining to the studied existential dimension (spare time). Results: The qualitative analysis allowed for the identification of the specific methods of spending one’s spare time. We started analysing these methods based on the highlighting of family and community mythologies revolving around the link between how we spend our spare time and our jobs. The way in which individuals relate to spare time and working hours gives rise to a functional or dysfunctional life style either for the individual or for the family. By becoming aware of the way in which the individual relates to spare time (dissimilar or alike to how their parents or grandparents did) leads to the possibility of stepping out of the collective time frame (psycho-genealogical - past) and becoming entrenched in the present, based on present, personal, couples’ or family development needs. Conclusions: By researching the specificities of family and community mythologies centred on spending spare time (individual – belonging to each of us) with our partners or families we can identify functional or dysfunctional life styles with a great impact on family life.
Authors and Affiliations
Cristina Denisa Godeanu
Keywords
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