Date of Award

5-2019

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Departmental Honors

Department

Languages, Philosophy and Speech Communication

Abstract

Ex-LDS individuals face a unique and often turbulent time in their relationship with their parent if the individual decides to leave the LDS Church. To explore this phenomena, we investigated the turning points and relational trajectories of ex-LDS children and their interactions with their active LDS parent. Thirty emerging adult children were interviewed using the retrospective interviewing technique (RIT). Through turning point analysis, we identified 14 turning points: (1) Discussions of values and beliefs, (2) decrease in church participation, (3) moving out, (4) physical proximity, (5) critical family events, (6) parent realizations, (7) sibling events, (8) romantic life events, (9) verbal boundary-setting, (10) social life conversations, (11) coming out, (12) personal value decisions, (13) parent interference, and (14) non-verbal events. Eight relationship trajectories also emerged: (1) minor setback, (2) reconciliation, (3) delayed reconciliation, (4) reluctant reconciliation, (5) positive turbulent, (6) negative turbulent, (7) moderate turbulent, and (8) diminishing closeness.

Included in

Philosophy Commons

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Faculty Mentor

Kaitlin Phillips

Departmental Honors Advisor

Timothy Curran

Capstone Committee Member

Kristine Miller