Main Article Content
The experience of biological fathers of their partners' termination of pregnancy
Abstract
The purpose of this article was to explore and describe how single adult biological fathers experience the termination of pregnancy their partners had. The research design entailed a qualitative, descriptive, explorative and contextual design. Guba's model of ensuring trustworthiness in qualitative research was applied. The phenomenological strategy was used to collect data from a purposive sample of respondents, consisting of nine adult biological fathers who met the sampling criteria. Three themes emerged from the analysis of respondents which were: powerlessness related to the inability to have a choice in the decision of the termination of pregnancy; emotional turmoil related to the impact of the decision on inter-personal and intra-personal relationships; and lastly psychological defence mechanisms as a way of dealing with the stressful effect of the termination of pregnancy. A literature control was done to verify the results and recontextualise it within the field of psychiatric nursing. Conclusions and recommendations were made.
Health SA Gesondheid Vol.6(1) 2001: 28-37
Health SA Gesondheid Vol.6(1) 2001: 28-37