Low-income Single-parent Families Research Articles

НЕПОЛНЫЕ СЕМЬИ В РЕГИОНАХ РОССИИ: МАСШТАБЫ И СОЦИАЛЬНО-ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКИЕ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКИ

The subject of the study is single-parent family as one of the main types of modern Russian family. The purpose of the paper is to study, based on monitoring and analysis of regional data, social profiles of low-income single-parent families in Russia. The research methods are systematic and comparative approaches, structural analysis and synthesis, statistical processing of information, induction and deduction, abstraction, and specification, etc. The following scientific and practical research results were obtained: a significant similarity was revealed in the social profiles of low-income single-parent families and single-parent families at risk of poverty; the main causes of poverty in incomplete families are identified, the main ones being the unemployment of a single parent and the insufficient level of wages of working mothers. The results of the analysis of the modal characteristics of singleparent families with low income can be used by federal executive authorities and executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation when updating measures to reduce poverty in the field of promoting the employment of single parents.

Determining specific features of vocational students’ socio-psychological portrait: Moral educational aspect

Introduction. The problem of reducing the role of moral education is becoming especially relevant for secondary vocational education. The purpose of this study is to identify the specific features of students’ socio-psychological portrait for organizing an effective and efficient educational process in vocational educational institutions. The identified features are supposed to be used in the course of preparing future teachers for implementing moral education within the framework of vocational educational settings. Materials and Methods. The study followed systemic, axiological, contextual, nuclear and learner-centered approaches. The authors also relied on S.L. Rubinshtein’s structural approach to personality studies, as well as on the conception of preparing future teachers for moral educational activities (A.N. Tkacheva et al). A survey based on the questionnaire developed by the author was conducted in the Ural Federal District (the Russian Federation). It was aimed at identifying the features of vocational students’ socio-psychological portrait. The research sample consisted of second, third and fourth-year vocational students (n = 387). Results. This article analyzes the views of Russian and international researchers on the following aspects: age characteristics of vocational students (psychological characteristics of adolescence); the main difficulties faced by students in the learning process; socio-psychological portrait of vocational students. The article also presents the results of a survey of vocational students in the Ural Federal District, aimed at identifying the features of their socio-psychological portrait. Within the framework of the theoretical analysis, the following specific features of the socio-psychological portrait of vocational students have been revealed: 1) during the adolescence, a large number of personal contradictions often lead to conflicts and intolerant behavior of students, which complicates the process of their training and moral education; 2) most of the students are brought up in low-income single-parent families, they are mainly focused on obtaining a working profession, and vocational training is of paramount importance for them. During the empirical study, it was found that: 1) nearly half of those surveyed (56.33%) made an independent choice of their future profession, while the majority of the students (55.81%) had a clear intention to get a working profession; 2) more than half (55.30%) of vocational students faced educational and life difficulties during their school years, and the vast majority (72.90%) had difficulty in certain subjects, which indicates gaps in their basic training; 3) among the difficulties accompanying the learning process, the respondents mentioned time management (42.89%), low income (49.61%) and learning difficulties (39.79%); 4) among special values, the vocational students mentioned cooperation (79.84%), goodwill (66.15%), honesty (59.43%) and justice (59.17%). The identified qualities can determine successful and efficient moral educational process at vocational educational institutions. Conclusions. The results of the theoretical analysis and empirical research, namely the identified age, psychological, cultural and other characteristics of students and economic and social conditions of their living, must be taken into account in order to organize an effective and efficient educational process in vocational educational institutions. Some points of the survey results coincide with the conclusions made in previous research investigations: the orientation of students towards professional activities, the independent choice of a working profession by the majority of vocational students, and the secondary importance of moral educational activities.

The Effects of Solution-focused Group Art Therapy on Self-esteem and Sociality for Children of Low-income Single-parent Families

본 연구의 목적은 해결중심 집단미술치료가 저소득 한부모가족 아동의 자아존중감과 사회성에 미치는 영향을 살펴보는데 있다. 이를 위해 초등학교 5-6학년 저소득 한부모가족 아동 10명을 선정하였고 실험집단과 비교집단에 각 5명씩 무선 배치 하여 각각 매주 1회 90분씩, 총 10회기 진행하였다. 연구 결과 첫째, 해결중심 집단미술치료가 저소득 한부모가족 아동의 자아존중감과 사회성 향상에 긍정적 영향을 미친 것으로 나타났다. 둘째, 해결중심 집단미술치료 프로그램에 참여한 실험집 단이 집단미술치료 프로그램에 참여한 비교집단에 비해 더 향상된 결과를 보였다. 본 연구는 해결중심목표를 집단구성원들과 협의 하에 설정, 공통과제와 개별과제로 세분화, 기적그림 등의 해결중심 미술활동 개입으로 기존 집단미술치료의 효과성을 뛰어넘는 결과를 도출하였다는 점에서 의미가 있다. 따라서 해결중심 집단미술치료가 학교 및 기관에서 저소득 한부모가족 아동을 위한 효과적인 단기치료 프로그램으로 활용되길 기대한다.

Quasi-Experimental Evidence on the Effects of Expanding Cash Welfare

We study the labor supply and consumption responses to cash assistance delivered through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Program in the United States. Exploiting a sharp increase in cash benefit generosity for low-income single-parent families in New Hampshire due to a legislative revision to payment calculations, we implement difference-in-differences and triple-differences to estimate the impacts of greater benefits on work behavior as well as on food expenditures and food security. Our results suggest that more generous cash assistance reduces labor supply among likely TANF-eligible individuals, but also increases household food spending and reduces the incidence of food insecurity. Our findings speak both to the moral hazard costs and to the standard-of-living improvements associated with expanded cash assistance in an era in which cash welfare is at historically low levels, is time limited, and imposes work requirements.

남성 한부모가족의 내러티브 탐구를 통한 교육복지 경험에 관한 연구

This study aims to look at individual and unique aspects of an education-related welfare experience that single fathers experience in raising their children. Single fathers tend to be uncomfortable with sharing personal experiences and their personal situations are diverse and sensitive. Thus, a narrative inquiry method was applied accurately for analyzing the situation. To figure out the individual difficulties and unique contents of three research participants who became responsible for their livelihoods, parenting and education after becoming a single male parent through 'narrated-experience' was analyzed. Within the three-dimensional research space presented by Clandinin and Connelly(2007), this study focused on the time of experience, the ability to relate through communication(sociality), life inside and outside the home as the analytical space(place), and analyzed through the procedures of description, analysis, and interpretation presented by Wolcott. The results of this study are as follows. First, efforts to support child rearing expenses, education and living expenses, which are only provided to low-income single-parent families, need to be extended to general single-parent families. Second, education or measures are necessary to strengthen family capacity and continue lasting connection with schools or caring institutions. Third, there is a need to increase access to various schemes that help single-father families to stand on their own feet. Fourth, this study is meaningful in that it analyzed education-related welfare more personally and precisely by approaching single-father families with narratives.

Food as a discretionary item: the impact of welfare payment changes on low-income single mother’s food choices and strategies

Recent changes to Australia's welfare system have affected low-income single parent families, with many moved on to an employment seeker's payment (a reduced payment) when the policy change made them ineligible for a family payment. To explore the impacts of this policy change, in-depth interviews were conducted with 23 low-income single mothers across Australia. This paper focuses on the health and wellbeing impacts of the decreased payment on food choices and behaviours. This study suggests that food had become an expense that could be tightly managed, limited, or foregone for these families.

Family policy, family structure, and children’s educational achievement

This study explored the interface between policy, the family, and educational outcomes. More specifically, this research examined how the association between single motherhood and children’s literacy achievement is affected by a country’s family policy environment. Using data from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and national level comparative policy data, the results from the 2-level hierarchical linear models indicate that in those countries that have policies that favor low-income single-parent families, the literacy gap decreases in size between students who reside in single-mother households and their counterparts who reside in two-parent families.

Dietary Habits and Nutrition Knowledge of Children Using Community Food Service Centers according to Family Type

The objective of this study was to assess dietary habits and nutrition knowledge of elementary school students who use community food-service centers according to family type. The subjects were comprised of 147 individuals in lowincome households, aged from 7 to 12 years, and who consumed free meals at community welfare centers or at local children’s centers in Seoul and Kyunggi-do, Korea. Dietary habits and dietary intake were obtained using 24-hr recall. Children in low-income single parent families skipped breakfast more frequently than children in low-income married parent families. No difference in nutrition intake or dietary habits was observed between children in low-income single parent families and children in low-income married parent families. More interest and financial support of the govern ment are required to develop nutrition education and food assistance programs for children in low-income single parent families. (Korean J Nutr 2011; 44(3): 255 ~ 263)

Monoparentalidade, pobreza e resiliência: entre as crenças dos profissionais e as possibilidades da convivência familiar

O presente artigo apresenta um estudo comparativo entre as crenças de agentes comunitários de saúde sobre possibilidades de resiliência em famílias monoparentais e de baixa renda e as estratégias de enfrentamento das adversidades que emergem nas histórias de vida destas famílias. Tomou-se como base a noção de resiliência aplicada à Psicologia, que se refere aos processos que explicam a superação de adversidades. Foram entrevistados quatro agentes comunitários de saúde e quatro famílias monoparentais. As estratégias metodológicas foram: entrevistas semi-estruturadas, histórias de vida, entrevista reflexiva e a análise dos dados através da grounded-theory. Os resultados revelaram crenças pessimistas dos agentes comunitários sobre o funcionamento das famílias pobres, em contraposição aos fatores indicativos de resiliência constatados nas histórias de vida destas famílias. Os resultados sinalizam para a necessidade de transformar e adequar as percepções dos agentes sociais acerca de grupos que vivem situação de pobreza.

How Children with Special Health Care Needs Affect the Employment Decisions of Low-Income Parents

To better understand the impact of having a child with special health care needs (CSHCN), on low-income parents' employment decisions. Using data from the 1999 and 2000 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), we estimate multivariate statistical regressions (logit and tobit models) to estimate the relationship between having a CSHCN and the likelihood of employment and hours of employment for a sample-of low-income single parents. Controlling for differences in demographic and family characteristics, we find no significant association between having a CSHCN and the probability of work or the number of hours worked among low-income single-parent families. Separate analysis of different dimensions of special health care needs shows that parents of children with activity limitations are significantly less likely to work and work fewer hours. This result does not hold true for the group of children defined based on elevated or special service use, or for the group of children with specific chronic conditions. These results indicate that only a specific subset of children with special needs present difficulties for low-income parents' work. This suggests that policies to help low-income single parents of children with disabilities move into work should target this specific subset of children with special health care needs.

Diverse Adaptations of Single Parent, Low-Income Families with Young Children

SUMMARY Distinct family caregiving structures among low-income single parent families were identified. The relationships between these structures and family needs, social resources and family functioning were described. Unmarried low-income, primarily African-American mothers whose children were enrolled in community-based early childhood programs were interviewed. While global measures of functioning or distress were unrelated to type of family caregiving structure, there were significant differences with respect to specific sources of stress or conflict, stability of the caregiving structure across time, and perceived sources of primary support. Implications of these findings are discussed with respect to planning community-based services that build upon and strengthen family competencies.

Understanding Constraints and Residential Satisfaction Among Low-Income Single-Parent Families

Housing adjustment models theorize that demographic and personality characteristics of families combine to explain residentfal satisfaction. This article reports the operationalization of several personality characteristics. The Leford Test of Tenant Locus of Control, measures of household planning styles, an index measuring willingness to work to improve residential conditions, an index measuring participation in community activities, measures of expected and of experienced discrimination, and selected demographic characteristics are hypothesized to predict residential satisfaction. Two components of residential satisfaction, housing and neighborhood, are tested in separate regression models. The results suggest that personality characteristics are powerful predictors of housing satisfaction, whereas residental characterstics, feeling safe, and having friends in the neighborhood are powerful predictors of neighborhood satisfaction.

Fathers, the Welfare System, and the Virtues and Perils of Child-Support Enforcement

FOR half a century, Aid to Families with Dependent Children 1('AFDC)1-the program of federally supported cash assistance to low-income families with children-has been oddly conceived. Congress has chosen to make assistance available almost solely to low-income single-parent families, not all low-income parents with children. At first many of the eligible single parents were women whose husbands had died. Over time, a growing majority were women who had been married to their children's father but who had separated or divorced. Today, to an ever increasing extent, they are women who were never married to the fathers of their children.2 Where are men and fathers in this scheme of assistance? They are themselves eligible for AFDC if their income is sufficiently low and if they are the single custodial parent of a child. They are also eligible if they are living with the mother and the child and one of the two adults is incapacitated or meets some other stringent criteria. Few fathers qualify.3 AFDC is a program for children and their mothers. Low-income men are not the object of our public compassion. They are a cause of the problem. Over the last several decades, as the proportion of American children living in one-parent families has grown-tripling between the

The Balga Venture

Balga Senior High School is located in the Perth suburb of Balga and draws many of its students from surrounding areas which are made up of Homeswest flats or Homeswest Housing Estates. Many of the students who attend Balga Senior High are from low income single parent families and as such the school is mindful of the program it offers. Out of a school population of about 900, seventy would be Aboriginal. The reasons behind the initial move to appoint a teacher with special responsibility to Aboriginal students to Balga Senior High School can probably be traced back to 1984, when Aboriginal parents in the Balga area expressed concern about current education trends and their implications for their children.

The Impact of Informal Support Systems on the Well Being of Low Income Single Parents

This study investigated the impact of informal support systems on the well being of low income single parents. Sixty-three female subjects residing in a rural county in eastern Washington and living below 125% of the nationally established poverty level were interviewed. Correlations and stepwise multiple regressions were run between measures of support and measures of well being. Results showed total informal support had a positive impact on general well being. Various types or sources of support were found to have differing impacts on well being. Implications for family professionals working with low income single parent families are discussed.