"The troublesome other and I": Parallel stories of separated parents in prolonged conflicts.

This qualitative study aims to explore how noncohabiting parenting couples in prolonged conflict construct the other parent and themselves. Ten parents from five parent couples were interviewed. A dyadic analytical design was used, where parent's stories of conflict were analyzed in parallel with their co-parent. Drawing on positioning theory, self-identity as parents emerged as implicit counter positions in storylines, which construct the co-parent as "the troublesome other." Two typologies of conflicted storylines were prominent in the findings: storylines of violations of trust, positioning the co-parents in relation to traumatic events in the past and, storylines of who is bad, positioning the co-parent as either a disloyal co-parent or a dysfunctional parent. The findings indicate that prolonged conflicts made it impossible to find available positions for cooperation. We argue that family therapists should aid each household toward promoting child and family resilience rather than continued efforts to solve chronic conflicts.

The Position of the Child in the Life Experiences of Immigrant Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Study of Service Providers' Perspectives in Spain.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global public health concern that has serious effects on the well-being of women and their children. Being a mother and an immigrant are critical factors that prevent women from seeking to end an abusive relationship. Evidence suggests that immigrant women see their children's well-being and future as paramount while managing an abusive relationship. However, less is known about how women negotiate their children's needs and interests when deciding whether to stay with or leave an abusive partner. Drawing on interviews with IPV service providers in Spain, this study aims to explore providers' understandings of the position of the child in mothers' reflections regarding whether to end an abusive relationship and of the implications of such positioning for mothers' decision-making. The findings indicate that children hold two main positions in this process. In one, children are positioned as a trigger for mothers to stay with abusers. This occurs when women are economically dependent on their partner, when they think that their children need a father figure, or when the abuser plays a role in women's migratory status within Spain. Second, children are positioned as a trigger for mothers to leave abusers when mothers see children as victims of violence or children in need of a mother figure. Framed by positioning theory, we discuss how we can understand the consequences of such positioning for immigrant women who are survivors of IPV and for service provision in this context. The implications of the findings for research, policy making, and professional decision-making are discussed.