Parenting attitudes and behaviors of low-income single mothers with young children

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore parenting attitudes and behaviors of low-income single mothers with preschool-aged children. As part of a longitudinal study of the health of single-mother families, 44 unstructured and semistructured interviews were conducted over a 1-year period with a subsample of nine mothers. The mothers modelled desired behaviors and values, but held unrealistic expectations for child behaviors. They viewed their parenting responsibilities as overwhelming. The mothers perceived their children as unappreciative of the efforts required to maintain the family unit. Discipline was often punitive and directed toward aversive behaviors with a single child as the scapegoat for parenting frustrations. Implications for interventions are addressed.