Abstract:
For the past twenty five years family researchers have increasingly focused on stepfamily relationships. Some children and some adults have been shown to have considerable difficulty adjusting to the new family and are at an increased risk of poor outcomes. However there are no studies to date that focus on Māori stepfamilies. This study is an exploratory investigation of Māori experiences of stepfamily living, parenting and stepparenting. Particular attention is focused on the development of relationships and any challenges and supportive aspects of living in a Māori whanau (family) system. Two separate sets of participants were involved. The first set interviewed were 17 Māori parents and /or stepparents living in a stepfamily. Participants were interviewed about their experiences in a stepfamily. The second set included four key informants (Māori mental health workers). Participants were interviewed about stepfamily processes that were advantageous and challenging that they had encountered in their work as Māori professionals. Interview data was transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis and employing a Māori Centred approach. For stepfamily participants, three themes relating to advantages and challenges were identified: The Quality of the Couple Relationship Is Important; Extended Family Supports Adaptive Step-Family Functioning; and Parenting is a Challenge. For key informants, two themes were identified: Understanding Social Pressures on Māori Stepfamilies is Important; and Manaakitanga: There are Māori Ways of Being a Stepfamily. These themes were discussed in relation to their fit with current and existing stepfamily literature and thus, provided implications for further research.