An exploration of psychosocial intervention services to families that have experienced divorce

Abstract

Divorce is a major life stressor, with potentially strong negative consequences for the psycho-socio wellbeing of all members of the family. This qualitative research study aimed to understand the nature and scope of psychosocial intervention services provided by social services professionals to families that have experienced a divorce. The population was social workers and psychologists offering counselling services to families in the Cape Metropole who have experienced divorce, as well as persons who have experienced divorce. The sampling method used was snowball sampling whereby participants were purposefully recruited. The final sample consisted of five social workers, five psychologists and ten service users. The objectives were: first, to explore and describe the nature and scope of psychosocial intervention services provided by social services professionals to families that have experienced divorce; second, to explore and describe the perceptions and experiences of social service professionals regarding the coping resources required by families that have experienced divorce; and third, to explore and describe the gaps in psychosocial intervention services provided by social services professionals to families that have experienced divorce. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory was employed to contextualise the topic and the findings. The study used a combination of an explorative and descriptive research design, and entailed individual semi-structured interviews, with transcribed data thematically analysed. Ethics approval to conduct the study was obtained from the University of the Western Cape Humanities and Social Sciences Research Ethics Committee and permission to access and recruit participants were received from social services organisations in the Cape Metropole that offer psychosocial services to families who have experienced divorce. The findings highlight the critical need for comprehensive, inclusive, and effective social welfare services and policy reform to support individuals and families navigating the complexities of divorce. Several key recommendations are made for enhancing psychosocial support and improving overall outcomes for families who have experienced divorce. Recommendations are also made for social workers and psychologists offering psychosocial services. By implementing these recommendations, social welfare services and related policies can create a more supportive, inclusive, and effective system for individuals and families. This holistic approach would promote resilience, wellbeing, and overall mental health, leading to better outcomes for service users and best practice possibilities for service providers.