Demographic characteristics and willingness to remain single: the case of male single-parents in Elmina, Ghana

Abstract

ABSTRACT Any father who is unmarried, separated, divorced or widowed and has custody of child or children can be considered a male single-parent in Ghana. In the male single-parent household, the parent has to perform both instrumental and expressive roles, which invariably presents challenges to traditional ideas around the family. This paper examines the demographic characteristics of male single-parents and willingness to remain single in Elmina in the Central Region of Ghana. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 360 male single-parents to respond to questionnaire and interview schedule. The data was subjected to quantitative analysis to generate relevant descriptive and inferential statistics showing that about 54% of the respondents were willing to remain single. Age, years of being single-parent and the number of dependants were main determinants of willingness to remain single. The need to conduct various types of studies on male single-parents at different levels to transform men’s perceptions of gender roles is critical. Recognising the relevant models and their impact can open transformative dialogues on male single-parenting.