Romanian early adolescents’ perceptions of parental migration and the associated relational impact: a qualitative analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT Previous literature has emphasised the complexities of early children’s perceptions of parental migration based on socio-cultural factors and the associated relational impact due to separation. Until recently, research on transnational families positioned children left behind in the country of origin as passive actors of parental migration, and focused less on children’s relational voice or agency. The present study addressed this gap by qualitatively exploring Romanian early adolescents’ evaluations of their parental separation and parent–child relationship within the context of parental international migration for labour. Further, the current study also assessed how early adolescents navigated these physically distanced relationships. In-depth interviews were conducted in 2017 with 121 participants (62 boys and 59 girls) aged between 10 and 14 years old (M = 12.66, SD = 1.41) from urban public schools from the Northeastern region of Romania. Thematic analysis indicated that while most participants evaluated parental international migration negatively, the majority of participants characterised aspects of their relationships with their migrant parent(s) positively. Further, participants noted that their migrant parents’ emotional and developmental support were key factors for maintaining positive relationships. Findings suggest the importance of exploring children’s perspectives regarding parental migration and the parent–child relationships when the effects of transnational migration are investigated.