Statement of the problem

The family is the basic unit of the society. It is wherebuilding romantic

relationships with others. Having parental infidelity threatens the foundation of the

marriage as well as the whole family relationship. It affects the relationship of the

child to couples not only emotionally but physically, mentally and socially as well

which may also influence the establishment of the former’s relationships. It is a

problem which has consequences that permanently damage the parent-child

relationship as well as other future relationships. Considering the parent-child

relationship as the most important, parental infidelity may be a precursor to the

individual’s relationships toward his or her own family, and building romantic

relationships with others. This familial and social issue can have a big impact on

individuals themselves. They may perceive their own family as a failure. As a result,

they may have a hard time in decision-making and understanding things surrounding

their environment, especially within their familial environment.

A study by Margot Galang (2015) on Implication of Broken Family to Filipino

Children, the common reasons why Filipino couples separate include financial

problems, lack of communication, infidelity, and domestic violence. Clinical and

therapists note that children caught in the middle of parent’s animosity during

separation have attention and concentration problems, academic problems, anger

issues, sleep disorders, and other psychological, behavioral and spiritual problems.
 Filipino people were known of placing great value on the family which plays a

vital role in the Filipino culture. The state itself recognized family as the foundation of

the nation as stated 1987 Philippine Constitution. Article II, Section 12 of the

Constitution states: "The State acknowledges the sanctity of family life and as a

fundamental autonomous social institution shall protect and reinforce the family.

Globalization has given migrant workers, especially women, international

employment opportunities, as more and more Filipinos are sacrificing themselves to

work abroad to support their families back home (Asis, 2006 & Coloma, 2013).

On the other hand thefamily‟s vital function was modified when a husband

and wife are detached for long time. The wife chose to work abroad leaving her

children behind and jeopardized the function of the father. Herewith, Filipino

students have the same adverse effects to the children around the world when their

families were not intact and they ended up under the care of a foster families

whether with relatives or with close family friends (Barberos&Gozalo, 2016; Reyes,

2009).

Moreover, Burton (2012) reports that a recent study by University of Notre

Dame and the University of Rochester revealed that parents’ marital problems can

leave a lasting impact on their young children. Researchers found that this ultimately

leads to problems in their teenage years, including depression and anxiety, as young

children experienced tension between their parents. "The results further highlight the

possibility that early experiences of children will have persistent negative effects

when there is conflict between their parents, at least when their emotional insecurity
increases as a result of the conflict," said Mark Cummings, Notre Dame Endowed

Chair in Psychology, who led the research.

Various studies about foster children, but none of them dealt with an

investigation particularly in qualitative case study approach just like the study which

the researchers have undertaken. This therefore addresses the research void and

social relevance in view of the contribution it has made to the study's beneficiaries.

The research hopes to help children in foster homes cope with the stress they have

endured and to expand the mind of school administrators in their academic

difficulties to address the problems of these students.

Furthermore, this study aims to discover the lived experiences of children

growing up in a broken family, and to know how do the children cope with this

situation. It is relevant in our society because most of the families have been into this

situation and also to avoid deliquency. This research study refers how can the

children from broken familyeffect their education, social and mental health and how

they are able to build resilience in facing their family problems. To what limit do

broken homes caused by separation, divorce or death of parents affect the children.

Preliminary Literature Review

Parental Infidelity. Ngozi, Peter & Stella (2003), showed that parental

infidelity may be considered as one of the most controversial social phenomena,

seen as one among the major causes of marital instability which often leads to

divorce, desertion, single-parenthood and generally failed marriages. It may be a

critical part for the self-development of individuals.In the 2011 Philippine statistics on

marriage, there were about 476, 408 marriages, from the 482, 480 marriages from

the previous year . Since then, the numbers of married couples are decreasing. This

is a clear indication that Filipino married couples need to strengthen their marital

relationship.

The family is the company's basic unit. It is here that individuals first develop

their personalities and build their relationships among members of the family,

especially with their parents. Hermes (2002), stated that children initially interact with

their parents from which the latter provides examples of desired behaviors that are

ought to be learned by the former. McLeod (2001), said that the parents are

considered as the influential models of the child. They teach the child values on how

to face the reality of life and to develop their own behaviors.

Parental infidelity, along with other issues related to marriage Tyson, Diana F,

is one of the key social concerns. (2008), argued that it may be one of the major

reasons for divorce in parental relationships. The existence of parental infidelity

threatens the foundation of marriage and the entire family relationship. In relation to

the Filipino culture, Carandang and Guda (2001), said that the Philippines is a

country for friendliness and closeness among individuals, which can be important in

maintaining relationships. Filipinos have close family relations as one of the most

treasured qualities of the Filipino community. This value enables Filipinos to meet

people quickly, make friends and establish personal, enduring, intimate and romantic

relationships. Since Catholicism predominates in the Philippines, couples in the

Philippines regard marriage as important and sacred and eventually build their own

families. Marital success and satisfaction are greatly affected by several factors such

as the love, intimacy, commitment, and passion between the couple. Nevertheless,

as time goes by, the number of Filipino broken families is growing.

Marital separation. Marital separation brings long term consequences for the

child and the family. It marks the life of the child and the family unit (Maldonado,

2009). Numerous studies have documented the impact on children of marital

separation. VanderValket, you know. Al. (as noted in Landucci, 2008) found that

children of divorced parents may have a lower sense of psychological well-being

compared to children of intact families. Many researchers also confirm that divorced

parent children that experience emotional issues such as loneliness and depression

(as stated in VanderValk et al., 2005).

Studies comparing the school records of children from one-parent and two-

parent families have found that children raised in one parent homes have an

increased risk of poor academic achievement. Moreover, Whitemarsh (2008) found

that in academic performance some children from broken homes may show

decreased functioning and display oppositional behavior, or signs of mixed anxiety

and depression. Whitemarsh also reported a decline in the ability to concentrate in

class, decreasing attendance, and willingness to participate in class, suggesting that

a child has difficulty adjusting to a shift in family dynamics.