Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

Thesis (M.A.)--International School of Theology, 1987. / "A journal article ..." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-53).

Although the single-parent family is becoming an increasingly common family structure, it is associated with a great many hardships. Owing to the heavy responsibilities which fall on single parents, most fail to meet all of the needs of their children, particularly with respect to the financial needs which are entailed by providing educational necessities, safe, stable and permanent accommodation, adequate food and nutrition and healthcare. This study adopted the parental loss perspective, the economic hardship perspective and the interparental conflict perspective in investigating the experiences of young adults who were raised in single-parent families. A qualitative approach was adopted to conduct the research and data was collected from 26 male and female participants between the ages of 22 and 39 years who resided within the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality. The researcher sought permission to conduct this study from all the community leaders including the councillors and chiefs, thereby acquiring the first referrals. The study made use of purposive sampling and snowballing to select the research sample. The data was collected by using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions and analysed through the use of thematic analysis. The principal findings of the study indicate that although children who are raised in single-parent homes can attain high levels of education and have solid functional relationships in later life, a lack of finance and active parental involvement in their educational activities and social lives can serve to limit their development. As single-mother households face more economic hardships than any other family structures, financial assistance from both the government and their communities would undoubtedly increase the likelihood of children in single-mother families attaining their true academic potential. In addition, free counselling services would also help children who are forced to live under these circumstances overcome the emotional burden which inevitably accompanies either losing or being separated from one parent.

In recent years renewed efforts have been made to enforce the edict of family responsibility, culminating in the enactment of the Child Support Act, 1991. Under this legislation, the duty of absent fathers to provide for their former families has been reinforced which great rigour. The primary aim of this study is to see if the outcomes of this Act could have been predicted through an historical analysis of past precedent. The period from 1900-1940 is investigated for comparison with the present day. Statutory measures which attempted to ensure that fathers complied with court orders were also enacted in these years. Moreover, they were passed in a political, economic and moral climate not dissimilar to the 1980s and 1990s. Through an examination of archival sources, this study looks at the reasons why governments then were anxious to find ways of preventing lone mother families from becoming a burden on central or local finances - and why they believed their support should not be the responsibility of the community. It then explores the outcome of these measures in terms of their success, or otherwise, from an administrative and financial perspective. Following a similar examination of the Child Support Act, a comparative analysis of efforts to reinforce the financial duty of absent fathers in both the early and late twentieth century is undertaken. From these findings it is concluded that important lessons from the past have been ignored at our peril.

M.Ed. (Psychology of Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The single-parent family can no longer be viewed as a non-traditional family type. As more single-parent families become prevalent in our society, interest in this family type has increased. Research associated with single-parent families often focus on the pathology associated with single-parent families. It is apparent that single-parent households, whether headed by a mother or father often have more to deal with than the traditional two-parent family. However, as a single-parent herself, the researcher also knows that this family type has much to offer. This research is undertaken in an exploratory and interpretive manner to illuminate the influence which the extended family have on the social and moral development of the child in the single-parent family. The researcher, just like Monama (2007:iv) before her, wishes to elevate the view of single-parents from the stereotypical victims to responsible archetypes. As this research is undertaken with the eco-systemic perspective of Bronfenbrenner as theoretical orientation, it therefore focuses on the systems in which the child is nested and more specifically the extended family as part of the child’s microsystem. This research aims to be beneficial to single-parents, families, members of community organizations, educators and other allied professionals.

This qualitative, phenomenological research study was conducted to investigate the influences of self-efficacy on the college experiences and beliefs about capabilities of single parent, first-generation, transfer students. Consistent and strong levels of self-efficacy were revealed within each of the eight participants. Major participant themes identified through the Pattern Recognition Flowchart include that (a) children are a primary source of motivation and influence, (b) education is the pathway for a better future and career, (c) participants possess strong academic and personal efficacy, (d) participants possess a support network and (e) first-generation status serves as a motivating factor. Minor themes include that participants (a) were influenced by strong role models and positive encouragement and (b) possessed an ability to persevere through significant obstacles. While several of the themes corroborated extant research, some themes supported a unique perspective for this growing student population.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of housing- and neighborhood-related deficits and stress in female heads of single-parent households. The main objectives were to determine: (1) if a correlation existed between the characteristics of the housing and neighborhood occupied by single-parent households and the number of deficits they reported; (2) if a correlation existed between the number of housing and neighborhood deficits and the amount of stress reported; and (3) what specific housing and neighborhood deficits were significantly associated with stress. A proportionate sample was drawn systematically from the 1983 school census data of Roanoke County and the independent city of Roanoke, Virginia. A self administered questionnaire was developed, pretested, and mailed to 1000 mothers of elementary school aged children and 162 usable responses were obtained. The Langner 22-item Index of Mental Illness was used to measure stress. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance, linear regression, and multiple regression with controls for the effect of extraneous variables on stress. Significant differences were found between the number of deficits reported and several characteristics of the respondents’ housing, including the type of dwelling, length of tenancy, method of housing payment, and dwelling satisfaction. A significant positive relationship was also found between the number of housing- and neighborhood-related deficits and the stress level of the respondents. Twelve of the 48 possible housing deficits were significantly related to stress (p < .01). These included inadequate size of rooms, inadequate space for family activities, entertaining, or children’s activities in the kitchen, no separate bedroom for the parent, lack of freedom to make changes in the Interior of the dwelling, inadequate Indoor storage, hard—to clean materials on the floors and in the bathroom, bedrooms not large enough for needed furnishings, no assigned parking space, and lack of privacy for family members. Four of the 21 possible neighborhood deficits were significantly related to stress (p < .01). These included inadequate police surveillance, lack of social acceptance of the single-parent lifestyle, and neighborhoods which were not clean or were not pleasant and attractive looking. / Ph. D.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1986.