Unmarried Mothers Research Articles

The earned income tax credit (EITC) and time spent helping and caring for adults

AbstractThis is the first study to examine the effect of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) on unpaid caregiving for adults, which could operate through the credit’s effects on labor supply and household income. Using a sample of unmarried mothers and data from the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), I employ a simulated benefit approach to generate causal estimates of the effect of EITC generosity on time use. I find that increases in average EITC benefits have differential effects on assisting adults by both the age of the EITC recipient and the relationship between the EITC recipient and the care recipient. No effect is estimated for the youngest group of unmarried mothers (ages 25–34), who increase employment without reducing time spent assisting adults. In contrast, the oldest group of unmarried mothers (ages 45–54) responds by increasing their propensity to assist their parents while maintaining their labor supply. Unmarried mothers aged 35–44 both increase their labor supply and spend more time assisting adult family members on the intensive margin, even as they are less likely to assist parents on the extensive margin, especially with chore help. Results for other types of time use (home production, leisure, childcare, education, sleep), as well as probability of multigenerational co-residence, help explain these shifts. For example, for the oldest group of unmarried mothers, increased co-residence with parents is estimated to occur and may facilitate this labor-caregiving balance. These results add to a growing body of evidence that the EITC affects recipients’ time allocation beyond paid work and that the effects of the EITC span across generations and households.

The role of SNAP and WIC in the bidirectional relationship between food insecurity and maternal depressive symptoms

BackgroundThe association between food insecurity and maternal depressive symptoms has been established by many cross-sectional and longitudinal studies however the understanding of the reciprocal relationship between them remains unclear. Further, previous research demonstrates that federal nutrition assistance decreases food insecurity and promotes maternal mental well-being but further research is needed to elucidate the moderating role of these programs in the association between food insecurity and maternal depressive symptoms. Therefore, the current study examined the bidirectional associations between maternal depression probability and food insecurity using cross-lagged models and then tested the main and moderating effects of SNAP and WIC. MethodsData were from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study and the sample included 1948 mothers who participated in year 3 and year 5 of data collection. ResultsThe cross-lagged paths show that food insecurity at year 3 predicted maternal depression probability at year 5 and depression probability at year 3 predicted food insecurity at year 5. There was a significant moderating effect of WIC receipt on the association between food insecurity at year 3 and at year 5 such that when mothers with high food insecurity at year 3 received WIC, they were less food insecure at year 5. LimitationsThe study oversampled for unmarried mothers only two waves of data were used for the cross-lagged panel models. ConclusionsResults demonstrate the need to incorporate mental health services with the existing food assistance programs and the need to destigmatize the application process and program structure.

Single mom masters art of juggling work, school, parenting

It's 10 p.m. and Ashlyn Volz is doing her homework, the youngest of her three kids asleep on her lap.

Family Background and Single Parenting among Unmarried Mothers in Nigeria

Family Background and Single Parenting among Unmarried Mothers in Nigeria

Jeremy Bentham on adult-child sex and infanticide

ABSTRACT Jeremy Bentham is becoming increasingly well-known for his defence of consensual male same-sex relationships on the grounds of an ‘all-comprehensive' sexual liberty. The question arises whether his defence of pæderasty, or ‘the love of boys', and hence of adult-child sexual relationships, on the same principle makes his defence of male same-sex relationships problematic. This paper investigates the extent to which, under Bentham's principle, adults would not be legally punished for having consensual sexual relationships with children, or rather with adolescents. It concludes that Bentham’s position in relation to sexual relationships between adult males and under-age females followed the provisions of the English law of his time, while his position in relation to sexual relationships between adult males and under-age males is little different from the provisions of the law of our own time. Bentham was, moreover, concerned about the reputational damage suffered by unmarried mothers, and hence recommended the decriminalizing of infanticide. In the post-Malthusian age, Bentham, like many of his contemporaries, had become concerned about the potential suffering caused by over-population. His aims in this respect would be met by the forms of contraception and abortion available today.

Infant Mortality in Mother and Baby Homes in 20th Century Ireland

During the first half of the 20th century, infant mortality in the general population fell by more than 50% in higher income countries. Despite accounting for a disproportionately high share of deaths in these countries during this period, few quantitative studies have examined the experiences of infants who were born or raised in an institutional context. In this paper, we quantify mortality rates in Mother and Baby Homes in Ireland, institutions that were aimed primarily at unmarried mothers and their infants. Using information on over 40,000 infants born in the 6 largest of these insitutions in Ireland, we assess how this risk of mortality changed over the course of the 20th century relative to the general population, and assess variation in death rates by observed characteristics. The mortality penalty for these institutions was greatly elevated, reaching four times the national mortality rate in the 1930s and 1940s. By comparing the outcomes of infants from the Mother and Baby Homes with the rest of the population using large-scale quantitative data, this study documents the scale of the disadvantage faced by marginalised communities born outside public hospital systems, and highlights the potential role of nutrition-related causes in these disparities.

Single mom Ashlyn Volz masters the art of juggling work, school & parenting

It's 10pm and Ashlyn Volz is doing her homework, the youngest of her three kids asleep on her lap. She's in a master's degree program for social work, and hopes to use her degree in therapeutic work with fostered and adopted kids. Right now, she's a licensing specialist in foster care, working with families as they prepare to foster children.

Evaluation of a child abuse prevention program for unmarried mothers in South Korea: a single-case experimental design.

The purpose of this study is to apply and evaluate the effectiveness of a child abuse prevention program based on the Nursing Model of Resilience and Coping Skills Training Model for unmarried mothers during pregnancy and puerperium. This study had a prospective single-case, AB design with four repeated self-questionnaire measures and three observational measures. Seven unmarried mothers were provided with 10 sessions child abuse prevention program through individual visits from 32 to 34 weeks of pregnancy to 6 weeks after childbirth. The questionnaire was composed related to resilience, maternal stress, maternal attitude, parent-child interaction, child abuse potential. The observation was measured by video recording (total 16 times) the interaction of parent-child during feeding and analyzing it by three experts. Data were analyzed by Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Friedman's test. Maternal attitude and parent-child interaction were statistically significantly improved after intervention compared to before intervention. However, maternal stress decreased after intervention compared to before intervention, but it was not statistically significant. Also, resilience and child abuse potential were not statistically significant. This program is partially effective in preventing child abuse by promoting parenting attitudes and parent-child interactions. This study focused on individual resilience and applied systematic intervention as coping skills training to prevent child abuse. This study is meaningful in that interventions were conducted through individual visits to unmarried mothers at high risk of child abuse, and the program was applied, including pregnancy and postpartum periods, to prevent child abuse early.

An Exploration of Mother-daughter Painful Relationship in Feminist Cinema with Patriarchal Structures: A Case Study of Spring Tide

This article focuses on the mother-daughter painful relationship in Chinese feminist cinema, taking Spring Tide as an example, to explore the formation, manifestation and impact of this relationship in the context of the patriarchal structure. The film focuses on a three-generation story of mother-daughter relationships between an unmarried mother, Guo Jianbo, with her illegitimate daughter, Guo Wanting, and her single mother, Ji Minglan. As a female-centred film, the stereotypical image of mother and daughter is transformed in Spring Tide. In the ambivalence of the mother's love and hatred for her daughter, and the daughter's affection and rivalry for her mother, this film reveals the unique psychological structure and mode of relationship between females. Based on Lacan's "mirror stage" theory, this article highlights the function and plight of the mirroring between mother and daughter in the process of self-identification. In the patriarchal regime, the lack of female discourse leads the daughter to construct her ideal-ego in the mirror image of her mother but the alienated image in the mirror constrains the daughter's self-consciousness, which forms a complex relationship. It not only reflects the female-dominated diversified female relationship, but also implies the subjectivity plight of females in the patriarchal society. With the analysis of Spring Tide, this article discloses the profound significance of the mother-daughter painful relationship in feminist cinema which provides a new perspective for understanding the subjectivity of female discourse and suggests considerations for addressing the mother-daughter tension in future research.

An Exploration of Mother-daughter Painful Relationship in Feminist Cinema with Patriarchal Structures: A Case Study of Spring Tide

This article focuses on the mother-daughter painful relationship in Chinese feminist cinema, taking Spring Tide as an example, to explore the formation, manifestation and impact of this relationship in the context of the patriarchal structure. The film focuses on a three-generation story of mother-daughter relationships between an unmarried mother, Guo Jianbo, with her illegitimate daughter, Guo Wanting, and her single mother, Ji Minglan. As a female-centred film, the stereotypical image of mother and daughter is transformed in Spring Tide. In the ambivalence of the mother's love and hatred for her daughter, and the daughter's affection and rivalry for her mother, this film reveals the unique psychological structure and mode of relationship between females. Based on Lacan's "mirror stage" theory, this article highlights the function and plight of the mirroring between mother and daughter in the process of self-identification. In the patriarchal regime, the lack of female discourse leads the daughter to construct her ideal-ego in the mirror image of her mother but the alienated image in the mirror constrains the daughter's self-consciousness, which forms a complex relationship. It not only reflects the female-dominated diversified female relationship, but also implies the subjectivity plight of females in the patriarchal society. With the analysis of Spring Tide, this article discloses the profound significance of the mother-daughter painful relationship in feminist cinema which provides a new perspective for understanding the subjectivity of female discourse and suggests considerations for addressing the mother-daughter tension in future research.

AGAINST ALL ODDS: PROBING THE CASE OF SOLO-PARENT TEACHERS IN RAISING THE FAMILY ALONE

The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of working solo parents in raising their family alone. By examining the unique challenges faced by solo parents in this situation, this research aims to shed light on the coping mechanisms and strategies employed by resilient individuals to overcome the obstacles they encounter as well as their reflective insight that can be learned from their life experiences. This research utilizes qualitative case study approach and open-ended question as instrument used in the in-depth interview. There were five (5) participants whom were residents of Pantukan Davao de Oro. The findings revealed that solo parent presents a multitude of challenges that are unique and often complex as they raise their family alone, the struggles from providing the needs, the feelings of inadequacy and doubt can be compounded by the added pressure of taking sole responsibility in fulfilling both parental roles of being a mother and a father for the day-to-day aspects of rearing their children which can affect their ability to discipline their children effectively. In conclusion, solo parents don't let life's challenges deter them instead, they proactively employ a diverse range of strategies tailored to their individual circumstances. In their journey, solo parents gain lessons in resilience and advocacy. They strive tenaciously, learning to assert themselves not just for their children's sake but also for their own well-being. Consequently, they cultivate a profound appreciation for the fundamental importance of family. KEYWORDS: solo-parent, challenges, strategies, child/children, case study research, Philippines

Redefining family structures: Births out of wedlock in 21st century Greece

AbstractThis study explores Greece's unique position as the country with the lowest nonmarital childbearing rate in Europe. The socio‐demographic profile of mothers is being analysed in three categories of marital status: married, unmarried, and in civil partnership. Unpublished data, custom‐made exclusively for this study from the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), have been used, spanning from 2019 to 2021. Key focus areas include maternal age at childbirth, educational attainment, and nationality (Greek, EU27 except for Greek, and non‐EU). Geographical analysis is conducted at the Regional Unit level (Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics [NUTS] 3 classification). Findings reveal that Greek teenage and early twenties mothers, as well as those with low educational level, are more likely to be unwed, implying that maternity might have come because of an unplanned pregnancy. On the other hand, those in civil partnerships resemble married mothers in age and educational attainment. Non‐Greek nationals show a higher prevalence of nonmarital births, and a sociodemographic profile that implies that unwed maternity constitutes a conscious choice for them. This study not only illuminates the characteristics of unwed mothers in Greece but also provides empirical insights for evaluating prevailing theoretical frameworks regarding family dynamics in countries facing low fertility rates.

A Photovoice study of the struggle to secure child support for unmarried mothers: Focusing on destigmatization strategies

A Photovoice study of the struggle to secure child support for unmarried mothers: Focusing on destigmatization strategies

The Playhouse Effect: John Webster, Deixis and Story-Telling in the Theatres of Jacobean London

Unmarried mothers and children born out of wedlock are notoriously absent from the Carolean stage, which, on the other hand, saw an abundance of rakish gallants and prostitutes populating sexually charged plots. It is not a coincidence that the only two plays premiered between the 1660s and 1700 featuring an unmarried woman with a live child come up precisely with the arrival of William and Mary. This paper analyses the ways in which these plays—The Squire of Alsatia (1688) by Thomas Shadwell, and The Marriage-Hater Matched (1692) by Thomas Durfey—use the unmarried mother to convey a moral message that echoed William and Mary’s project of moral reform. However, these women are portrayed in radically different ways in both comedies. Although she takes a customary position of scorn in The Squire, the unmarried mother gets to be a good-hearted heroine that is eventually redeemed in The Marriage-Hater, a very challenging position for Durfey to portray which required of intra and extra textual devices to support her redemption without appearing to condone vice.

Challenges Encountered by Solo Parents’ in Raising their Children in Nagcarlan, Laguna: Basis for an Action Plan Development

Solo parents can be defined as a parent who is exclusively in charge of caring for their children alone and come with specific difficulties that can affect the welfare both parents and children. The study is carried out to identify the hardships faced by single parents, in terms of improving their means of living in order to bring awareness to relevant organizations in Nagcarlan Laguna. Solo parents frequently struggle balancing financial responsibilities, child rearing, and child care. The need to perform both work responsibilities and childcare duties. This poses a major concern for them. On the one hand, they need time to take care of their children, also, they have to find employment or ways to support their children financially. In this light, solo parents often find ways and means to perform both of these responsibilities. They face increased levels of stress, anxiety, and social isolation, which makes emotional well-being a major concern for them because they feel isolated. Despite these challenges, however, they still find joy and satisfaction in solo parenting. Solo parents often struggle to find enough time for themselves and balance various responsibilities, making time management a vital skill for them. Affordable and dependable childcare, along with understanding the education system, are challenges that single parents to ensure their children receive good care and chances for good educational. Social support, such as having peer networks and community resources available, is crucial in alleviating the difficulties of single parenting and promoting a feeling of inclusion and assistance. Solo parenting poses numerous obstacles that necessitate comprehensive assistance and involvement for the emotional and mental stability of both caretaker and offspring. Through the implementation of comprehensive support services, community initiatives, society can enhance its assistance to solo parents as they fulfill their crucial role as family providers.

Choosing isolation in the face of stigma: Relational work in tie severance among Korean unwed mothers

Though network scholars long have observed that people experience high rates of network turnover, theorization on how ties dissolve has lagged behind, with natural tie decay dominating as the primary explanation. Many deviants face stigma and become social pariahs from communities of origin, yet current network theories struggle to explain how such processes of network dissolution occur. Using interviews conducted with Korean unwed mothers, a highly stigmatized and hard-to-reach population, this study shows that shared culture in networks—norms, expectations, and meanings—plays a key role in how people navigate stigma in their networks. I demonstrate that tie severance requires work: relational work that matches network-specific culture. I propose a typology of tie severance processes along two dimensions, actor and motive, and identify associated relational work for each type. This study shows that macro-level cultural values are adapted to each network and (re)interpreted before relational work can be engaged to manage social relations.

State temporary assistance for needy families policies and high school diploma or equivalent attainment among mothers following a nonmarital birth: An event history analysis

AbstractThis study examines high school diploma or equivalent (HS/E) attainment by mothers who had a nonmarital birth (“unmarried mothers”) and the associations between state‐level Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) policies and their postnatal HS/E attainment. Using an analytic sample of 1154 unmarried mothers without HS/E from the restricted‐use Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we tracked postnatal HS/E attainment patterns for 15 years, and conducted discrete‐time event history analysis with mixed effects to test the relationships between states' TANF policies and postnatal HS/E attainment. Only 35.1% of the sample attained HS/E after childbirth, while nearly half of mothers who attained HS/E were not able to do so within 3 years of childbirth. A $100 higher maximum monthly benefit amount is associated with 86.1% higher odds of postnatal HS/E attainment, indicating the need to consider increasing TANF benefit amounts as a means to promote educational attainment among unmarried mothers with educational disadvantages.

A Narrative Inquiry into the Experience of Unwed Mother during Childbirth and Child-Rearing

A Narrative Inquiry into the Experience of Unwed Mother during Childbirth and Child-Rearing

Determining Antiradical Capacity of Medicinal Plant Extract Individual Constituents Using Post-Column Reaction Method.

The post-column reaction method enables the evaluation of the antiradical capacity of individual components in a mixture by separating the components using HPLC and measuring stable free radical (e.g., DPPH●) scavenging that occurs after the chromatography column. The equipment typically consists of two detectors. The first records signals of the analytes leaving the column. The second records radical scavenging by the analytes, which appears as a negative band. The recorded signals are found on two separate chromatograms, which must be combined to interpret the results. In this study, a single DAD detector was used behind the post-column reactor, enabling the simultaneous recording of the analyte bands and negative signals, indicating radical scavenging. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antiradical capacity of key compounds found in two herbal raw materials used in traditional Chinese medicine. Saposhnikovia divaricata roots contain phenolic acids, chromones, and furanocoumarins. Chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid, and imperatorin demonstrated strong radical scavenging, while prim-O-glucoslocimifugin showed a weaker response, both in standards and in root extracts. However, scavenging was not observed for cimifugin and 4'-O-β-D-glucosyl-5-O-methylvisamminol. Astragalus mongholicus roots contain astragalosides I-IV (triterpene saponins). None of these showed DPPH● scavenging. Furthermore, additional signals were observed, indicating the presence of unidentified radical scavenging compounds.

The Influence of Perceived Economic Benefits on Single Parenting among Unmarried Mothers in Nigeria

This study, with a specific emphasis on the lived experiences of single mothers, explored the perceived economic advantages of single parenting among Nigerian single women. The study tackled the growing apprehensions over the financial difficulties encountered by families headed by single mothers, highlighting the growing number of low-income families in Africa, particularly in Nigeria. The study employed a combination of qualitative (Key Informant Interview) and quantitative (Survey) methods to investigate their viewpoints on the financial benefits of being a single parent. The theoretical framework explained the intricate relationship between socioeconomic issues and single parenting by integrating social exchange theory and rational adaptation theory. 450 respondents participated in the quantitative study, while 30 respondents were selected for the qualitative study. According to data collected, single mothers frequently enter into several partnerships to obtain a variety of financial support for both themselves and their children. The study emphasized asset accumulation and emotional benefits as ways that single mothers can reduce poverty in addition to financial rewards. The study further highlighted the significance of social protection frameworks and all-encompassing initiatives aimed at tackling the distinct obstacles encountered by single mothers, eventually promoting the welfare of mothers and their offspring in an emerging country such as Nigeria. Keywords: Single Mothers, Economic Benefits, Low-income Families, Social Protection