Children In Single-parent Families Research Articles

Perceived Parenting Styles in Relation with Coping Strategies among the Children of Single Parents in Pakistan

Background: The dynamics within single-parent families, particularly the influence of parenting styles on the coping strategies of children, have garnered significant attention in psychological research. The intricate relationship between a parent's approach to raising their child and the child's subsequent development of coping mechanisms to navigate life's challenges is pivotal to understanding the psychosocial well-being of children in single-parent families. Objective: This study aimed to elucidate the correlations between different parenting styles—permissive, authoritarian, and authoritative—and the coping strategies adopted by children of single parents. Additionally, it sought to identify which parenting styles significantly predict the coping strategies utilized by these children. Methods: A correlational and comparative study design was employed, involving 153 adolescents aged 13 to 19 from single-parent families in Faisalabad and Sargodha, Pakistan. The Coping Response Inventory (CRI) and Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ) were utilized to measure coping strategies and parenting styles, respectively. Data analysis was conducted using Pearson’s moment correlation, regression analysis, and Independent Samples T-Test to examine the relationships between parenting styles and coping strategies and to assess gender differences. Results: The findings indicated a significant positive correlation between permissive and authoritarian parenting styles (r ranging from .439 to .787, p < .01). Regression analysis revealed that logical analysis, positive reappraisal, and problem-solving were significant predictors of coping strategies (p < .001). Gender-based analysis showed females scored significantly higher in positive reappraisal, seeking guidance/support, acceptance/resignation, and emotional discharge coping strategies compared to males (p < .005). No significant gender differences were found in parenting styles. Conclusion: The study highlights the significant impact of permissive and authoritarian parenting styles on the development of coping strategies among children of single parents. Tailored interventions supporting single parents in adopting more adaptive parenting styles could foster better coping mechanisms in their children, enhancing their psychosocial well-being.

The Intergenerational Transmission of Gender Roles: Evidence From Parents and Children in Single-Parent.

Given the current increases in the divorce rate and the number of single-parent families, the development of gender roles among children from single-parent families has received more and more attention. This study investigated how single parents influenced the formation of their children's gender roles and family-related factors that benefited the development of gender roles in single-parent children. Through in-depth interviews with 24 pairs of parents and children from single-parent families, we investigated single parents' and their children's cognition on gender roles, parents' parenting attitudes and behaviors during their children's gender role development, and communication and interaction between parents and children. Results showed intergenerational consistency in the gender role concepts of parents and their children in single-parent families. However, the children's gender role concepts were not completely and directly inherited from their parents, and could be affected by their subjective initiative. Additionally, single parenting did not necessarily negatively impact children's gender role development, which depends on their parent's parenting style. The study's limitations are discussed, and future directions for in-depth research are suggested.

A study on the learning motivation deviation of children in single-parent families

A study on the learning motivation deviation of children in single-parent families

A study of the mechanism for intergenerational transmission of gender roles in single-parent families

The divorce rate in China is rising yearly, and the concept of marriage is changing, triggering many social topics related to single parents. Among them, gender-awareness education for children in single-parent families is particularly worthy of attention, as there has been insufficient exploration of how parents transfer their gender role concepts to their children. This study conducted in-depth interviews with 58 single parents and children from 29 families in Suzhou and constructed the mechanism for intergenerational transmission of gender roles in single-parent families based on grounded theory. It found that single parents' gender stereotypes, the starting point of the intergenerational transmission mechanism, have been diluted. It affords them a more enlightened attitude towards child-rearing style, and they expect more equality in the gender role of their offspring. However, in some parents' actual parenting process, when the children's sexualization behaviours exceed their acceptance range, they will communicate with children in an authoritative and didactic way to “correct” the children's behaviour. In addition to direct verbal instruction, parents' expectations of their children's gender roles will be implicitly conveyed through various parent-child interactions in daily life to affect the formation of their children's gender roles. In the intergenerational transmission of gender roles, external people (such as grandparents, teachers and peer groups) have horizontal socialisation effects on children to modify or strengthen the results of gender education from their parents. Under the comprehensive influence of the above factors, the children's gender roles are finally determined. These studies expand previous theories and studies and have significant theoretical and practical implications.

Influence of Single Parents’ Parenting Stress on Adolescent Children’s Internet Addiction: Focusing on the Moderating Effect of Family Economic Status

Background: This study investigated the influence of parenting stress among single parents on the level of Internet addiction in their adolescent children, while also considering the moderating effect of family economic status.Methods: An analysis was conducted using regression models to assess direct and moderating effects, utilizing data from the 2021 Survey of Single-parent Families, focusing on single parents with adolescent children.Results: It was observed that single parents’ parenting stress had a positive and significant influence on the level of Internet addiction seen in their adolescent children. Furthermore, this influence was observed to be even stronger when the family’s economic status was lower.Conclusions: This study empirically examined the influence of parenting and economic circumstances on the level of Internet addiction among adolescent children in single-parent families, drawing on nationally representative data. The study also underscored the need for diverse intervention strategies.

The Impact of Family Complexity on the Risk of Developmental Delay and Socio-Emotional Difficulties in Early Childhood

The aim of this research is to examine how developmental progress and socio-emotional difficulties in early childhood are influenced by family complexity, and how socioeconomic status (SES) and interparental conflict influence these effects. To measure family complexity, full biological families, two-biological-parent families with half- and/or step-siblings, step-parent families, and single-parent families were separated. Dependent variables include the risk of developmental delay (based on ASQ-3) and socio-emotional difficulties (based on SDQ) at age 3. The data come from four waves of the Cohort ’18 Growing Up in Hungary longitudinal birth cohort study (n = 5788). Based on the results, children in all non-intact family types have a higher risk of developmental delay than do children from full biological families, when controlled only for the basic socio-demographic characteristics of children and mothers. However, controlling for family SES or interparental conflict as well, only children raised by a step-parent have a higher risk. Considering socio-emotional difficulties, children living with their biological parents but also with half- or step-siblings, or in a single-parent family, were at higher risk, even adjusted for interparental conflict. After controlling for family SES, however, only children in single-parent families have a higher risk. Parental conflict and low family SES have significant negative effects on both child outcomes, even in intact families, and together these seem to explain the adverse effect of non-intact family types. To conclude, children’s outcomes in the early years depend not only on whether they live with both their biological parents, but also on whether they are raised with half- and/or step-siblings or by a step-parent. That said, in many cases the negative impacts are due to selection effects, i.e., the fact that children of low-status parents are more likely to live in non-intact families.

Early Character Education For Children In Single-Parent Families (Parenting)

It is crucial to introduce, instil, mould, and get acclimated to character education for young children as soon as feasible. Early infancy, when people are in the prime of their lives, is a perfect time to provide the best stimulation, particularly in the emotive realm. Investigating parenting single parent homes can help with character education for children. This study employs a qualitative methodology and phenomenology. Using both primary and secondary data to get pertinent information about this research issue from observations, interviews, and documents. The interactive analytical model developed by Miles and Huberman was used to evaluate the data and draw conclusions through data reduction techniques, data visualization, and data verification. This study's main finding is that, despite their limitations in terms of knowledge and experience, single-parent households provide a lot of attention to early childhood character education. Religious instruction and teaching young children the importance of discipline are both part of character education. Economic and socio-cultural barriers to early childhood character education also prevent single-parent households from having adequate time to spend with their children in a meaningful way

Moral Problems and Mothers’ Efforts to Educate Children in Single Parent Families

Family has a crucial responsibility to give the basic and foremost educations that determine children’s moral in the future. This study aims to find out the moral problems of children from single parent families and mother's efforts to educate the children. This was qualitative research using case study design. Data were collected by carrying out in-depth interviews to ten selected informants using purposive sampling technique. Data analysis referred to Miles and Huberman’s. Overall, the study found eight children’s moral problems that were categorized into two aspects, they were obedience (ignoring parents) and personality problems such as gambling, fighting, stealing, being promiscuous, being badly affected by online game, lying, and dating. To overcome the moral problems, single mothers did three ways to educate their children, namely giving advice, exemplary, and punishment.

A comparison of the household labor performed by parents and teenage children in single-parent families and dual-parent families

This study aimed to explore the impact of differences in family structure and gender on the household labor of parents and teenagers. A total of 16,272 time diaries from the Korean Time Use Survey were used to analyze the influence of family structure and gender on the time spent on housework by parents and teenage children. Results from two-way ANOVA, multiple regression, and logistic regression analysis were as follows. Differences in the hours spent on household management and caring for family members were found based on family structure and gender. Mothers in dual-parent families or multi-local families did more hours of household management work than mothers in single-parent families. The household work hours of fathers in single-parent families differed from those of fathers in multi-local families and dual-parent families. Specifically, single fathers did significantly more housework than fathers in dual-parent families. Gender and family structure and the interaction between them showed significant effects on the household work activities of parents, especially in terms of meal preparation, cleaning, and housing management. Teenage children in single-parent families did more hours of household management work than those in dual-parent families, and a gender gap in the household work of teenage children in single-parent families was found; daughters did more household management work than sons in single-parent families, specifically in terms of meal preparation. For both parents and children of single-parent families, gender was an important factor in determining the time spent on household management. Based on the results, we propose a family policy and public services to alleviate the gender gap in the performance of housework and to support the work-life balance of parents and children in single-parent families.

Wealth of children from single-parent families: Low levels and high inequality in Germany

Families’ economic wealth is a resource that can provide children with crucial advantages early in their lives. Prior research identified substantial variation of wealth levels between different family types with children from single-parent families being most disadvantaged. The causes of this disadvantage, how much the disadvantage varies between children and how the non-resident parents’ wealth may potentially reduce the disadvantage remain unclear. To address these research gaps, we use data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (2002–17) to examine the level of and inequality in wealth for children from single-parent families using recentred influence function regression and decomposition analysis. We replicate earlier findings of a large wealth disadvantage for children in single-parent families. We find that the wealth disadvantage can be mainly explained with compositional differences in household income and employment characteristics. Beyond level differences, inequality between children from single-parent families is higher than for other family types and this inequality can only partly be explained by observed demographic and socio-economic characteristics. When considering the wealth of non-resident parents, the wealth disadvantage of children in single-parent families is reduced but remains substantial. JEL-codes: D31, D1, J1

Abusive Sexting in Adolescence: Prevalence and Characteristics of Abusers and Victims.

Sexting has been defined as sending, receiving, or forwarding sexually explicit messages, images, or photos to others through digital platforms, and can assume more consensual or more abusive and violent forms. This study aims to explore the prevalence of abusive sexting in Portuguese adolescents and the psychological characteristics of sexting abusers in terms of emotional and behavioral problems, potential markers of psychopathy, childhood trauma and maltreatment, and different forms of aggression. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 4,281 participants, aged 12–20 years (2,264 girls and 2,017 boys), of whom 204 (4.8%) engaged in abusive sexting behaviors and 182 (4.3%) self-identified as being a non-consensual sexting victim. Abusive sexting was more common among boys and middle adolescents, and abusive sexting victims were more likely to be children of single-parent families. Engaging in abusive sexting and being a victim of abusive sexting were also related to behavioral and emotional problems, callousness, experiences of neglect and abuse in childhood, and various forms of aggression. Implications for future research and intervention are discussed.

The Islamic Education for Single Parent's Family: A Case study in Karaban Jaya

Everyone craves having family integrity. Because the integrity of the family makes it easy to share roles between fathers and mothers both in earning a living or doing household chores including the obligation to educate their children. But in reality, many find all these roles to be borne by one person or called a single parent, could be a father or mother. Usually it happens because of separation due to divorce or death of one of them, thus making the responsibility of raising all their children more difficult. For children, family (both parents) is the main environment they need. So from that family the parents can provide better protection and education for their future life provisions. The obligation of parents as mentioned in the Qur'an is to protect themselves and their families from the fires of hell. Then the family should become a madrasa in introducing Islamic education. As an educator in the family, parents must have the expertise and art of educating, one of the skills that must be mastered is the method. There are several methods that families can use in educating their children. This research focuses: how is the pattern of single parent care in the perspective of Islamic education to children in Karaban Jaya . The research method is qualitative with a case study approach. The results showed that parenting to educate children in single parent families in Keraban Jaya Village was by example, giving advice, motivation, and giving attention and supervision to children from young to teenagers. While the values of Islamic education taught include strengthening monotheism, worship, moral or moral cultivation, forming mentality and applying discipline or control.

A reason for the unmet needs of children in contact with social services? Non-resident fathers’ perspectives on delinquent child maintenance claims

BackgroundOften times, during (after) divorce or separation, fathers in Ghana are reported to the Department of Social Welfare for not honouring their child maintenance obligations. Social workers at the Department of Social Welfare make arrangements with the non-resident fathers to ensure that they perform their financial obligations. Yet, evidence suggests that many fathers do not meet the obligations to make the financial contributions, potentially placing the wellbeing of vulnerable children in single parent families at risk. ObjectiveThe study sought to explore the underlining reasons why fathers in Ghana do not meet their child maintenance obligations. The study hopes to develop some understanding about ways to appropriately provide support for children in families facing delinquent child maintenance cases. Participants and settingThirteen non-resident fathers (ages 19–50 years) in contact with the Department of Social Welfare took part in the study. MethodsData from in-depth interviews with the 13 participants were coded following strategies from the constructivist grounded theory. The coding process was managed with NVivo 12 qualitative software. ResultsMatrilineal inheritance, stressful interfamilial relations, poverty and unemployment were the main reasons reported by fathers as contributing to their defaulting child maintenance. The study shows that cultural values, extended family members’ opinions and attitudes towards non-resident fathers have significant impact on payment decisions. ConclusionThe findings highlight the need to challenge the negative implications of cultural beliefs and practices, and orient parents on their mandatory responsibilities towards children. In view of the cultural influence, we advocate for the adoption of a multi-perspective where both patrikin and matrikin are integrated in particular families irrespective of ethnic origins. The adoption of this perspective should begin with an acknowledgement among family members to prioritise the wellbeing of their children over cultural discourses which could serve as hindrances to child wellbeing. Social workers should have an understanding of these cultural values and the implications on the wellbeing of children in families with delinquent child maintenance cases.

Self Esteem and Peer Group Relationship of Adolescent Children in Single Parent Families

As the family and its structure are in a descend form, children, especially adolescents may feel a sense of insecurity due to lack of proper care and support from their own imbalanced family system and other socialising agents. Therefore, the present study re-searches on the Self Esteem and Peer Group Relationship of adolescents from the Single parent families. This descriptive study emphasizes on Quantitative research, were the primary data was collected through the Survey Method using a questionnaire. The data was collected from two schools in Kollam District, Kerala, one from an aided school and another Government school and the sample size is 51 students from 8th to 12th standard. The tool consists of socio-demographic data, Peer Group Relation Scale by Hudson and Self Esteem Scale by Rosenberg. The study result shows as there is significant relation between Self Esteem and Peer Group Relationship of Adolescents from Single parent families.

The Effect of Transactional Analysis Parent Education on Single Mothers’ Rearing Attitude and Family Function

본 연구의 목적은 교류분석 부모교육이 한부모가족 어머니의 양육태도와가족기능에 어떠한 효과가 있는지를 검증하는 것이다. 교류분석 부모교육은자아상태, 의사소통패턴, 교류패턴분석, 게임분석, 각본분석, 자녀와의 관계에 초점을 두었다. 한부모가족 어머니 11명이 참여하였으며 총8회기로 구성되었다. 효과성을 검증하기 위해 실험집단과 통제집단을 구성하는 유사실험설계를 활용하였다. 연구결과는 한부모가족 어머니의 양육태도 중 애정적태도와 거부적 태도, 가족 기능 중 의사소통, 정서적 관여, 행동통제에서 통계적으로 유의미한 차이가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 즉 한부모가족 어머니의애정적 태도는 증가하고 거부적 태도는 감소한 것으로 나타났다. 또한 의사소통, 정서적 관여, 행동통제 기능이 향상된 것으로 나타났다. 연구결과를 토대로 제언을 하면 첫째, 한부모가족을 위한 교류분석 부모교육의 활성화가필요하다. 둘째, 한부모가족 자녀들에 대한 심리 및 정서적 개입이 동시에진행될 필요가 있다. 이를 위해 한부모가족 부모를 위한 교류분석 및 다양한이론을 적용한 부모교육 개발 및 보급을 위한 후속연구가 필요하다.The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of TA based parent education for mother of single-parent families about rearing attitude and family function. TA based parent education focused on the analyzing ego state, pattern of communication and transaction, game, script, relationship of kids. Eleven mothers were participated in this study, the group was composed of 8 sessions. A quasi-experimental design where a non equivalent control group pretest-post design has been implemented in order to evaluate this parent education. As a result, there was a significant difference in affection and rejection attitude, communication, affectiveness involvement, behavior control. Affection attitude was increased and rejection attitude was decreased. Communication, affectiveness involvement, behavior control were increased. Based on those findings we would like to make a suggestions. First, parent education should be activated for single families. Second, intervention of emotion and mental health for children of single parent families is required simultaneously. For this purpose, follow-up research appling parent education with various theory is needed for parent of single parent families.

Parenting practices and intergenerational cycle of victimization in Peru.

Existing research has suggested children of caregivers with histories of exposure to trauma are at heightened risk for victimization, but few studies have explored potential mechanisms that explain this intergenerational transmission of risk. With data from peri-urban households in Lima, Peru (N = 402), this study analyzes parenting behaviors in the relation between caregivers' trauma history and child victimization for children aged 4-17. Results indicated caregivers' trauma history and negative parenting behaviors related to child victimization, and negative parenting behaviors mediated this relation. Positive parenting behaviors did not have significant direct effects and were not mediators of risk transmission. Parenting behaviors did not moderate the relation between caregiver and child victimization, suggesting parenting behaviors may not buffer or exacerbate intergenerational transmission. Post-hoc analyses revealed family type (e.g., single, cohabitating/married) exerted significant direct and moderating effects on child risk, interacting with positive parenting. Families with married/cohabitating caregivers reported overall lower levels of child victimization; however, the relation between positive parenting and victimization was slightly stronger for children in single-parent families. Results highlight potential pathways of the intergenerational cycle of victimization and suggest high-risk families in Peru may benefit from parenting supports, especially pertaining to remediation of negative parenting behaviors.

Barriers to meeting formal child support obligations: Noncustodial father perspectives

Changes in family demographic patterns and the erosion of the social safety net have contributed to the centrality of child support as a source of income for many families. Many custodial mothers and their children rely on child support to meet basic needs; yet, most do not receive all of the support they are owed. Given the importance of child support as a financial resource for many families, and the gap between child support owed and received, understanding why some fathers do not meet their formal support obligations is important for improving the well-being of children in single-parent families. This article contributes to the evidence base on barriers to compliance with formal child support obligations by the sharing perspectives of noncustodial fathers struggling to find work and pay child support. Data were gathered through focus groups with noncustodial fathers conducted for the Child Support Noncustodial Parent Employment Demonstration. Results indicate four types of factors contributing to noncompliance: (1) practical impediments, including income constraints, high-burden orders and obligations to other children; (2) system-imposed barriers; (3) noncustodial father preferences; and (4) prior interactions with the child support system. Findings from this study suggest a number of policy changes that could help facilitate compliance among struggling noncustodial fathers. These include access to services to help overcome practical barriers to work; administrative and statutory changes within child support to help address high burden orders, enforcement actions that impede employment, and state-owed arrearages; and changes to TANF pass-through policies.

Help me help you: Identifying and addressing barriers to child support compliance

Many custodial mothers and their children rely on child support to meet basic needs; yet, most do not receive all of the support they are owed. Understanding why some fathers do not meet their formal support obligations is important for the well-being of children in single-parent families. Research about noncustodial fathers’ compliance with formal support obligations has focused predominantly on quantitative analyses of individual, family, and structural factors affecting compliance, with a more limited body of qualitative work exploring noncustodial father perspectives. Generally missing are the perspectives of staff who work with noncustodial parents on overcoming compliance barriers. Staff provide unique and useful insights, given their vantage point from within systems and across fathers. However, staff perspectives alone are inadequate for understanding the full context of noncustodial parent experiences, as noncustodial parents possess a unique view into the child support system as customers.This article contributes to the evidence base on barriers to compliance with formal child support obligations by the sharing perspectives of staff who work with noncustodial fathers struggling to find work and pay child support on overcoming these barriers, and comparing their perspectives to those of noncustodial fathers. Data were gathered through interviews and surveys with child support, employment, and parenting staff conducted for the Child Support Noncustodial Parent Employment Demonstration, and are compared to perspectives of fathers gathered through focus groups for the same evaluation (Vogel, 2020). Results indicate five types of practical, system-based, and experiential factors contributing to noncompliance: (1) an array of barriers to employment; (2) insufficient income to meet obligations; (3) child support system-initiated barriers; (4) resistance to paying support without visitation access; and (5) prior interactions with the child support system.Findings suggest a number of policy changes that could help facilitate compliance among struggling noncustodial fathers, including: access to services to address practical barriers to work; system-level health care, child care, public infrastructure, and criminal justice reforms; administrative and statutory changes within child support to help address high burden orders, enforcement actions that impede employment, and state-owed arrearages; and providing pathways to visitation when safe and appropriate.

Economic Situation, Financial Strain and Child Wellbeing in Stepfamilies and Single-Parent Families in Germany

The aim of this paper is to identify predictors of financial strain and to clarify the importance of family type and income, as well as the effects of financial strain, on child wellbeing. We consider family structure by looking at nuclear families, stepfamilies and single-parent families. We also examine family complexity by considering the status of a child, e.g., a common child in a nuclear family, a stepchild, or common child in a stepfamily. Applying the Family Stress Model (FSM; Conger et al. 1990), we address the following issues: what family types are more financially burdened and rate themselves as being financially strained? How is child behavior affected by financial strain, and which type of child is affected most? The data that we use are from the survey “Growing up in Germany”: AID:A II wave (2013–2015); our sample consists of 12,561 children, and the method that we apply is ordered probit models. Our results clearly suggest that single-parent families and stepfamilies are more vulnerable to be below the poverty threshold. Regarding our second set of analyses, the results suggest that stepchildren and children in single-parent families are more at risk for problem behavior than are children in nuclear families. Moreover, both groups experience financial strain.

Στάσεις που Προάγουν την Υγεία, τη Διατροφική Συμπεριφορά και Σχολική Επίδοση των Μαθητών

Objectives: The subject of this cohort study is the in- vestigation of nutrition attitudes and perceptions of 225 children (97 boys, 128 girls), 11 years-old from fifth grade of the 12 Kos Primary schools, using questionnaires relat- ed to everyday life eating habits of their own, the level of physical activity, body image and the stress they experi- ence every day. Results: The average rating of the students’ evalua- tion survey was 4.02, which reveals a high school per- formance. The assessment was made by the teacher of each class at a scale (Likert) from 1-5. From the summa- tion of the answers about the attachment on Mediter- ranean Diet (KIDMED), the KIDMED score was 8.9 (rang- ing from 0 to 12), but recorded the children's negative tendency to regularly eat nuts and fish. Using the psy- chometric tool of self-esteem - PATEM II (answers that rated from 1 to 4, with higher values reflecting higher levels self-perception and self-esteem), it turned out that the studied children had a very good level of self- esteem. In addition, in the Predictive Anxiety Question- naire, with STAIC A-trait score=48.2 (total value ranging from 20 to 60), it was found that the studied children did not react with tension in difficult situations. Conclusions - Implications: The only statistically sig- nificant differences that have emerged, relate to corre- lation of the father's origin with pupils' school perfor- mance (p <0.023), as well as the correlation of pupils' school performance with those whom the children stay at home with (p <0.005). The most important finding we could draw from this study is that children of single parent families have much better performances than those of other families.