Motherhood and Mothering

The Experience of Israeli Non-Biological Mothers in Blended Families Formed After Loss of the Biological Mother

Dados Bibliográficos

ID21638545
AutoresTalia Peichich-Aizen (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev), Dorit Segal‐Engelchin (0000-0002-0789-8592, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, autor correspondente)
Ano2025
Data de publicação2025-03-04
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoThe Family Journal (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1066-4807 • E-ISSN: 1552-3950
EditoraSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/10664807251321519
OpenAlexW4408144219
IdiomaEN
Referências citadas39

This study draws on the conceptual distinction between “mothering” and “motherhood” as a framework to explore the experiences of Israeli women who have partnered with widowers, raising young children as non-biological mothers. Qualitative analysis of 30 in-depth semi-structured interviews revealed that although the majority of participants performed the traditional roles dictated by the institution of motherhood, most did not define themselves as the mothers of their partner's children, reserving the title “mother” for the deceased biological mother. Regardless of how they defined their maternal status, most participants expressed deep maternal love for their partner's children. Some described having different emotional experiences with their biological versus non-biological children, which they attributed to the former being “part of them” and the bond formed from birth. Other participants reported similar emotional experiences with both biological and non-biological children. Notably, our findings indicate that the cultural climate, where the biological mother is regarded as the “real” mother, contributes to shaping the participants’ motherhood experience. This study expands the distinction between the concepts of motherhood and mothering to the context of non-biological mothers, highlighting the complexities inherent in mothering children whose biological mother has died

Developmental psychology · Sociology · Child Welfare and Adoption · Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences · Gender Studies · Psychology · Reproductive Health and Technologies