Psychological Support for Children from Families of International Marriages

Abstract

This study has the objective to discover the family relationships and support that should exist within families of international marriages. I used the analytical method of extracting, for the purpose of presenting my cases, the portions from the responses of each of the subjects in the three interviews conducted on him/her, portions that applied to the two aspects of support to the children from international marriages --(1) the family relationships within the international marriages, and (2) the support given to the children from international marriages. The results of my study brought to light that in such family relationships, the roles of parents and children had reversed. Furthermore, with respect to the ideal way of support, the children of international marriages, found it difficult to discuss matters with their parents, suggesting the necessity for the supporters to take into consideration the worries and the reality that those children were unable to bear. Furthermore, with respect to the kind of support that should be provided, children from international marriages did not know whether the complications between their parents were those that occurred in ordinary families in Japan. From these circumstances, I perceived the significance in normalizing such situations of the children by having supporters provide them with the help in the form of psychological education.