Relationship Constellations and Dynamics of Low-Income Rural Mothers

Abstract

To address the policy debate surrounding the use of funds from TemporaryAssistance to Needy Families for marriage-promotion activities, this article profiles thenature of low-income rural mothers’ relationships with their partners and thenonresidential fathers of their children. It presents the results of interviews with 35lowincome mothers from two rural Maryland counties. Although the analyses revealedthat the presence of a male partner was not related to a mother’s economic oremotional well-being, other sources of social support buffered mothers against theireconomic challenges. The authors conclude that social workers should integrateinformal family support into their service delivery plans and that policy makers need toconsider alternatives to fostering economic self-sufficiency among rural low-incomepopulations.