The unemployed fathers’ experience of disciplining their children : a phenomenological enquiry

M.A.The aim of this research is to gain insight into the unemployed father’s experience of disciplining his children. The motivation for this research is multifaceted. Research trends, nationally and internationally, have shown an increased focus on the fathers’ role in the lives of their children (Burbach, Fox & Nicholson, 2004; Goldberg, Tan & Thorsen, 2009; Smit, 2004). Research examining the father is on the up rise as the value of understanding the father, his role and his impact on his children has come to the forefront. Paternal discipline appears to influence the child and the child’s behaviour, while contextual factors such as poverty or unemployment appear to have an impact on the father. It is therefore useful to develop insight and understanding into the unemployed father’s experience of disciplining his child. The researcher asks a single research question “how does the unemployed father experience disciplining his children?” The researcher chose a single broad question with the hope that the interviews would guide the process and several smaller questions would arise during the research process. Knowledge of the father’s own sense of his role, perception, knowledge and understanding will aid policy makers and service providers. To the researcher’s knowledge there is currently no South African study that examines the unemployed father’s perceptions and experience of disciplining his children. For this reason a phenomenological method, in particular, Merleau-Ponty’s method, is used. This method allows an exploration of the father’s perceptions and experience, eliciting understanding and developing insight. Additionally, this research aims to generate questions and issues for further research. The research is introduced with a brief look at the philosophical aspects of phenomenology, outlining the main characteristics of Merleau-Ponty’s approach. Following this, the approach and its application to the research are discussed. Scientific rigour is important in any research project. This research study attempts to demonstrate rigour through credibility, dependability and transferability. Bracketing is also an essential component of phenomenological research which has been included to ensure scientific rigour and reduce researcher bias. Nevertheless, the existential phenomenological approach follows the proposition that the researcher can never be truly removed from the research. It is therefore important for the researcher’s process to be explicated throughout the research process. The researcher kept a research journal in order to bracket and rigorously reflect on the entire research process, and promote rigour