Psychological experiences of young women Raised by social fathers in a rural South African community

Social fathers, or, lamely, ‘stepfathers’, often assume the parenting role of children who are not biologically theirs. The present study aimed to describe the psychological experiences of young women growing up under the care of social fathers. The study employed a qualitative research approach and utilized a phenomenological design to gather firsthand information from twelve young women. A purposeful sampling technique was used to enrol young women raised by social fathers. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and analysed using an inductive thematic analysis method. The study findings revealed that young women raised by social fathers suffer from psychological challenges such as feelings of worthlessness, loneliness, lack of a sense of belonging, fear of abuse, and inability to speak about their challenges. The study revealed that some affected young women turned to prayer, some to drugs, and still others to their significant others for support in coping. Despite the various overlooked psychological experiences of young females, their experiences underscore an urgent need for culturally sensitive mental health interventions to support young females in non-traditional households. The study also recommends educational and awareness campaigns for young women and social fathers.