This entry looks at the uncoupling of relationships, both married and cohabiting. The phenomenon of relationship dissolution has significantly impacted the family dynamics of both adults and children in most western nations since the last quarter of the twentieth century. The entry first provides a comprehensive overview of the sociological and legal definitions of divorce and describes the general societal trends in relationship dissolution. Next, it examines both the causes and the consequences of breakups, including exploring the temporal, personal, and societal factors that contribute to the instability of relationships. Finally, it looks at the consequences of divorce for both adults and children.

Increased life expectancy and reduced fertility mean more generations are living simultaneously but with fewer members. There is also a growing group of older people (aged 80 and over) who need care and support. This impacts mutual support within families and the care provided by public or private care organisations. Across OECD countries, on average, 60% of people aged 65 years and older in 2020 reported receiving support from family members, friends and people in their social network, living inside or outside their household but not care organisations. European research shows that when older persons do not have a partner (anymore), they rely on their adult children for care and support. Given that adult children frequently serve as primary providers of informal care, our study examines their perspectives and motivations to provide future care alongside the demands and expectations of their old parents. Our study adopts a multi-actor interview approach and simultaneously looks at the perspective of 40 adult children and one of their older aged parents (65 years or older). We apply the distributive justice theory to understand how children and parents assess the expectation and fairness of support. This paper contributes to the existing literature about support behaviour between parents and children, expanding insights about the fairness of support, expectations and willingness from a multi-actor approach. Through the lens of child–parent dyads, it is seen that the principles of the distributive justice theory can be perceived as not so strict, and within family relationships, one or more principles can coexist and have underlying mechanisms. This study shows the complexity and often ambivalence of family solidarity by adopting a multi-actor approach. One of the main findings is that contrasting dyads who reject the reciprocal act of support experience feelings of guilt or misunderstanding, resulting in stress and worry. A child may not follow the expected support pattern from the parent due to competing demands such as work or the prioritisation of young children, which can reduce the support given to the older parent. Besides general contrasts and similarities between child–parent support perspectives, the analysis looked into differences regarding gender and legal relationships. Our findings only found gendered care expectations. Future research should entangle this by looking into feelings of closeness, emotional connection and considering the dynamic character of filial support over time, especially between siblings.

This chapter explores the built-in Artificial Intelligence tools in NVivo, focusing on semi-automatic and automatic coding features. It discusses how AI can assist in the initial coding phases, potentially accelerating the analytical process in its early stages. The chapter critically examines the implications of AI in qualitative research, debating the balance between automation and researcher oversight. It shows how AI is only partially integrated into the program, is limited to the built-in language libraries and relies on crude statistical associations. NVivo cannot recognise language variants like sarcasm, double negatives, slang, dialect variations, idioms, or ambiguity, implying the researchers need to remain critical of the result of the AI auto-coding tools.

ABSTRACT Researchers have traditionally viewed conflictual divorce as a form of marital separation characterized by intense conflicts between the divorcing partners, but only recently has there been more focus on its temporal dimension. However, it remains unclear how the duration of this conflict-ridden process itself acts as a stressor, and how divorcees cope with it. This study involved a sample of 21 individuals living in Lithuania still legally married but undergoing divorce for periods ranging from 6 months to up to 5 years. We utilized a grounded theory design to explore how individuals encounter the duration of their divorce and how it plays a role in their interaction with external world. Data was collected through two waves of interviews. The findings suggest that the duration is largely linked to heightened experiences of uncertainty and unpredictability, transitioning from acute to entrenched over time. Individuals employ various strategies to increase clarity and reduce stress, although they may not always achieve the desired outcomes. The article concludes with recommendations for both professionals and divorcees themselves