Acceso usuarios
Silvia Escobar Fuentes, Laura Domínguez de la Rosa, Mario Millán Franco
This study addresses the topic of large families in Spain, which are in decline in this country. The lack of academic research on this type of family justifies the scientific relevance of studying this phenomenon from a social science perspective. In the domain of social sciences, the transformations of these relationships and their associated family dynamics represent some of the most significant indicators of contemporary social change. This study analyses the family dynamics of large Spanish families and provides insight into the social circumstances in which they live. The study takes a qualitative approach, using thematic analysis as the main research tool. Semi-structured interviews of parents with special large families were conducted until thematic saturation was reached at nine interviews. Post-interview analysis identified three thematic blocks: (1) Large families: more than meets the eye; (2) family organization; and (3) myths and realities of large families. The results suggest that these families have very specific dynamics based on the organisation and sharing of household tasks, and that they have to confront many myths and fallacies. In conclusion, our approach enabled us to explore new family dynamics within the setting of large families. Further research on this type of family is warranted to facilitate the development of more effective and efficient psychosocial interventions. Similarly, we would like to use this research as a call to action for social intervention professionals to incorporate family diversity as a core area of research and intervention within the social sciences.
