LOVE THROUGH THE EYES OF URBAN ORPHANS An Exploratory Study on Figurative Orphans

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the concept of love that figurative orphans have by showing its relationship to age, gender and maltreatment experiences, by using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and by categorizing it according to its source, aim, and object. Qualitative analysis, through questionnaires and interviews, was used as research design and were administered to 13 figurative orphans aged 7 to 9 from participating institutions in Manila. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs explained that love is a need that has to be satisfied, which implies that love is dependent on attention and material things. It was this need that led them to have goals and forgive others because by doing so, they received love and respect from others. However, it appears that this theory is egocentric in nature and solely focused on the individual. In contrast, defining love based on its source, aim, and object opened a wider perspective of love. Results from questionnaires and interviews revealed that as the source, love could be found in material things, in trust, and in discipline. The aim or the reason that a figurative orphan loved was for the comfort it brought, for the forgiveness it ushered in, for the goals one dreamed for those whom he/she loved, and for the prayer that gave one a sense of gratitude despite the struggles. Moreover, love equipped a figurative orphan to reach out towards the object as well as to reach in toward the self to experience being loved in return. It is recommended that (1) further studies on other developmental groups be made to see the differences and similarities that age and experience may have on the concept of love; (2) a larger sample population coming from other institutions be used in future studies to support the analysis and interpretation presented here; and (3) assumptions on the source, aim, and object on the concept of love be quantified, for validity and reliability purposes.