An Analysis of How Financial Resources Are Managed in Stepfamilies Taking A Grounded Theory Approach

The stepfamily is more complex than the families resulting from the first marriage due to its different structure. One of the important dimensions of this type of family which affects the relationship between the couples, the step-parent and the step-child and the family structure in general, is the control of monetary and financial issues. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate how financial resources are managed in stepchildren. The research method is qualitative and takes the grounded theory approach. Fifteen men living in Isfahan who had the experience of remarriage after divorce and living in a family with stepchildren were purposefully selected by theoretical sampling. Research data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using open, axial and selective coding. The results showed that men, due to factors such as imposed financial expectations, checking the allocation of financial resources, inadequate financial support, exercising women's power, etc., had a kind of fear that they believed had damaged the traditional family structure and authority and the centrality of the decision was taken away from them. Meanwhile, women, in particular, competed with men by gaining economic capital and intensifying the competitive environment of the family through powerful financial management methods. Although the strategies adopted led to expedient agreements between the couples, since the control of monetary issues arises from the existence of stepchildren, the competition for economic power in stepchildren seems to be constant, leading to the polarization of the family environment.