published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

published_or_final_version / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

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This qualitative study expands the existing literature on fatherhood, single parents, and gay and lesbian adoption to include the unique experiences of single, gay men who became adoptive parents after "coming out", or establishing a gay identity. To illustrate these unique and common experiences, individual ethnographic interviews were conducted with 16 fathers residing throughout the United States, as well as internationally. Specifically, this study explored the participants' experiences through their reflections of the adoption process, and through their experiences after the family was established. The participants had experiences to those found in previous studies on gay and lesbian adoption and gay fathers, as well as possessed unique strengths, including tenacity and resiliency. Of particular importance are the strategies that each participant employed to deal with heterosexist and sexist stigmas, and continue to employ to maintain and protect their families. The participants were highly invested in their parental roles, and indisputably dedicated to the care of their children. Shifts in the participants' support networks to include greater involvement with heterosexual parents were also common. Finally, these fathers tended not to utilize existing support services, such as support groups for a variety of reasons. The results of this study are a useful addition to the social work knowledge base. On a micro level, the results may be useful for direct practitioners who are often responsible for making decisions regarding the fitness of gay men as fathers. The results may also be of interest to practitioners who work with the children of gay fathers, and are interested in gaining insight into the unique experiences of children raised in this particular family configuration. The results of the inquiry may also be useful to adoption professionals, who are responsible for conducting home studies, as well as for making placement decisions. On a macro level, the results may be useful to administrators who are working to develop programs whose goal is to support the continued development of gay fathers, or by policy makers who are interested in this specific group of gay fathers and their children.

Tang, Mun Yu. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 473-493). / Abstracts in English and Chinese; appendices in Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / 摘要 --- p.iii / Acknowledgments --- p.iv / Table of Contents --- p.vi / List of Figures and Tables --- p.xiii / Chapter Chapter One --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter Two --- Literature Review on Adolescent Development with Particular Reference to Poor Adolescents --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1 --- Theories of adolescent development --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Micro theories --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Macro theories --- p.15 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Ecological model --- p.17 / Chapter 2.1.3.1 --- Introduction --- p.17 / Chapter 2.1.3.2 --- Application to understand the development of adolescents experiencing adversity ´ؤ Resilience Model --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1.3.2.1 --- Definitions of resilience with specific to children and adolescents --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1.3.2.2 --- Models of resilience --- p.20 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Summary --- p.22 / Chapter 2.2 --- Existing findings on the development of adolescents growing up in poor families --- p.22 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Poor adolescents perceive poverty --- p.23 / Chapter 2.2.1.1 --- Conceptualization of beliefs about causes of poverty --- p.23 / Chapter 2.2.1.2 --- Review of previous studies --- p.29 / Chapter 2.2.1.3 --- Limitations --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Development of adolescents experiencing poverty --- p.38 / Chapter 2.2.2.1 --- Development of poor adolescents in their present lives --- p.38 / Chapter 2.2.2.1.1 --- Psychological well-being and magnitude of having behavioral problems --- p.38 / Chapter 2.2.2.1.2 --- Educational outcomes --- p.45 / Chapter 2.2.2.1.3 --- Limitations --- p.52 / Chapter 2.2.2.2 --- Perceptions of future lives --- p.56 / Chapter 2.2.2.2.1 --- Review of previous studies --- p.56 / Chapter 2.2.2.2.2 --- Limitations --- p.64 / Chapter 2.3 --- Directions for future research --- p.69 / Chapter Chapter Three --- Research Questions and Research Design --- p.77 / Chapter 3.1 --- Research questions --- p.77 / Chapter 3.2 --- Proposal for a qualitative research approach --- p.79 / Chapter 3.3 --- Research design --- p.81 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Sample --- p.87 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Data collection --- p.92 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Data analysis --- p.95 / Chapter 3.3.3.1 --- Reliability of the findings --- p.99 / Chapter 3.3.3.2 --- Validity of the findings --- p.100 / Chapter Chapter Four --- Findings --- p.106 / Chapter 4.1 --- Perceived economic disadvantage experienced by their families --- p.107 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Beliefs about the causes of their families in need for financial support from the Government --- p.108 / Chapter 4.1.1.1 --- Individualistic causes --- p.108 / Chapter 4.1.1.1.1 --- Causes in relation to parents --- p.108 / Chapter 4.1.1.1.2 --- Causes in relation to mother --- p.109 / Chapter 4.1.1.1.3 --- Causes in relation to father --- p.110 / Chapter 4.1.1.1.4 --- Causes in relation to children --- p.111 / Chapter 4.1.1.2 --- Societal causes --- p.115 / Chapter 4.1.1.3 --- Fatalistic causes --- p.117 / Chapter 4.1.1.4 --- Summary --- p.119 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Perceptions of being a CSSA recipient --- p.119 / Chapter 4.1.2.1 --- Personal views --- p.120 / Chapter 4.1.2.2 --- Perception shaped by mother --- p.125 / Chapter 4.1.2.3 --- Perceptions related to peers --- p.126 / Chapter 4.1.2.3.1 --- Perceptions related to peers' financial circumstances --- p.126 / Chapter 4.1.2.3.2 --- Perceptions related to peers' reactions towards their financial backgrounds --- p.127 / Chapter 4.1.2.3.3 --- Perceptions related to the level of closeness with peers --- p.129 / Chapter 4.1.2.4 --- Perceptions related to the views of general public --- p.129 / Chapter 4.1.2.4.1 --- Views of general public influenced by the Government --- p.130 / Chapter 4.1.2.4.2 --- Views of general public influenced by the media --- p.130 / Chapter 4.1.2.4.3 --- Views of general public influenced by with or without personal experiences of receiving CSSA or personal contacts with CSSA recipients --- p.133 / Chapter 4.1.2.4.4 --- Views of general public influenced by the dominant societal ideologies --- p.134 / Chapter 4.1.2.5 --- Perceptions related to CSSA claim procedures --- p.138 / Chapter 4.1.2.6 --- Perceptions related to special policy for CSSA recipients --- p.139 / Chapter 4.1.2.7 --- Perceptions related to attitudes of staff in CSSA unit --- p.140 / Chapter 4.1.2.8 --- Summary --- p.141 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- Perceived quality of life under the CSSA and the related factors --- p.142 / Chapter 4.1.3.1 --- Perceived quality of life under the CSSA --- p.143 / Chapter 4.1.3.1.1 --- Primary school --- p.143 / Chapter 4.1.3.1.2 --- Secondary school --- p.145 / Chapter 4.1.3.1.3 --- University --- p.146 / Chapter 4.1.3.2 --- Perceived quality of life under the CSSA in relation to mothers' financial management --- p.150 / Chapter 4.1.3.2.1 --- Ways of monitoring family finance --- p.150 / Chapter 4.1.3.2.2 --- Ways of fulfilling unmet needs --- p.151 / Chapter 4.1.3.3 --- Perceived quality of life under the CSSA in relation to self financial management --- p.153 / Chapter 4.1.3.3.1 --- Being self-disciplined of spending money --- p.153 / Chapter 4.1.3.3.2 --- Saving money --- p.155 / Chapter 4.1.3.3.3 --- Doing part-time jobs and summer jobs --- p.157 / Chapter 4.1.3.4 --- Perceived quality of life under the CSSA in relation to other sources of financial support --- p.161 / Chapter 4.1.3.4.1 --- Financial support from relatives --- p.161 / Chapter 4.1.3.4.2 --- Financial support from non-relatives --- p.163 / Chapter 4.1.3.5 --- Summary --- p.166 / Chapter 4.1.4 --- Comments on the staff in the CSSA unit --- p.166 / Chapter 4.1.4.1 --- Positive comments --- p.166 / Chapter 4.1.4.1.1 --- Attitudes --- p.167 / Chapter 4.1.4.1.2 --- Performance --- p.167 / Chapter 4.1.4.2 --- Negative comments --- p.169 / Chapter 4.1.4.2.1 --- Attitudes (from personal experiences) --- p.169 / Chapter 4.1.4.2.2 --- Attitudes (from mothers' experiences) --- p.171 / Chapter 4.1.4.2.3 --- Performance --- p.172 / Chapter 4.1.4.3 --- Summary --- p.176 / Chapter 4.1.5 --- Comments on the CSSA scheme --- p.177 / Chapter 4.1.5.1 --- Positive comments --- p.177 / Chapter 4.1.5.1.1 --- Nature of the CSSA scheme --- p.177 / Chapter 4.1.5.1.2 --- Strict policy for preventing abuse of the scheme --- p.179 / Chapter 4.1.5.2 --- Negative comments --- p.180 / Chapter 4.1.5.2.1 --- Amount of support in the CSSA scheme --- p.180 / Chapter 4.1.5.2.2 --- Policy on the CSSA scheme --- p.183 / Chapter 4.1.5.2.3 --- Claim procedures in the CSSA scheme --- p.187 / Chapter 4.1.5.3 --- Summary --- p.191 / Chapter 4.1.6 --- Circumstances of women in economic disadvantaged and female-headed families --- p.192 / Chapter 4.1.6.1 --- Struggles on financial adversity --- p.192 / Chapter 4.1.6.2 --- Consequences of receiving financial support from the Government --- p.194 / Chapter 4.1.6.2.1 --- Influences on self-image --- p.194 / Chapter 4.1.6.2.2 --- Influences on psychological state --- p.195 / Chapter 4.1.6.3 --- Pressure of taking up the parental roles --- p.197 / Chapter 4.1.6.4 --- Summary --- p.199 / Chapter 4.1.7 --- Recommendations for improvement in the CSSA service --- p.200 / Chapter 4.1.7.1 --- Staff training --- p.200 / Chapter 4.1.7.2 --- Quality of the service --- p.201 / Chapter 4.1.7.3 --- Other recommendations --- p.204 / Chapter 4.1.7.4 --- Summary --- p.195 / Chapter 4.1.8 --- Recommendations for improvement the policy in the CSSA scheme --- p.207 / Chapter 4.1.8.1 --- Subvention policy --- p.207 / Chapter 4.1.8.1.1 --- Subvention for students --- p.207 / Chapter 4.1.8.1.2 --- Subvention for households --- p.209 / Chapter 4.1.8.1.3 --- "Subvention for children, elderly, disabled and chronic illness patients" --- p.211 / Chapter 4.1.8.2 --- Claim procedures --- p.214 / Chapter 4.1.8.3 --- Employment-related policy --- p.216 / Chapter 4.1.8.3.1 --- Employment-related policy for single parents --- p.216 / Chapter 4.1.8.3.2 --- Employment-related policy for general able-bodied CSSA recipients --- p.219 / Chapter 4.1.8.4 --- Other recommendations --- p.222 / Chapter 4.1.8.5 --- Summary --- p.224 / Chapter 4.1.9 --- Service gaps for economic disadvantaged and single-parent families --- p.225 / Chapter 4.1.9.1 --- Services for CSSA families --- p.225 / Chapter 4.1.9.1.1 --- Emotional support services --- p.225 / Chapter 4.1.9.1.2 --- Household support services --- p.227 / Chapter 4.1.9.2 --- Services for women in economic disadvantage and marital disruption --- p.229 / Chapter 4.1.9.2.1 --- Employment-related support services --- p.229 / Chapter 4.1.9.2.2 --- Counseling services --- p.230 / Chapter 4.1.9.3 --- Services for the single-parent families --- p.232 / Chapter 4.1.9.3.1 --- Emotional support services --- p.232 / Chapter 4.1.9.3.2 --- Public education --- p.233 / Chapter 4.1.9.4 --- Summary --- p.234 / Chapter 4.1.10 --- Overall summary of Section 4.1 --- p.235 / Chapter 4.2 --- Perceived past lives --- p.237 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Area 1: Perceived quality of life before receiving the CSSA --- p.237 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Area 2: Reactions towards economic disadvantage --- p.241 / Chapter 4.2.2.1 --- Feelings about living under the CSSA --- p.241 / Chapter 4.2.2.2 --- Perceived influences of economic disadvantage in their past lives --- p.246 / Chapter 4.2.2.2.1 --- Experienced different from those of their peers --- p.246 / Chapter 4.2.2.2.2 --- Influenced on their study plans --- p.248 / Chapter 4.2.2.3 --- Summary --- p.253 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Area 3: Views on mother's employment status --- p.253 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Area 4: Perceptions of one's roles in the family --- p.257 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- Area 5: Perceived source of influences on one's development --- p.265 / Chapter 4.2.5.1 --- Aspect 1: Family backgrounds --- p.266 / Chapter 4.2.5.1.1 --- Experiences of economic disadvantage --- p.266 / Chapter 4.2.5.1.2 --- Single-parent family Other people --- p.278 / Chapter 4.2.5.1.3 --- Summary --- p.289 / Chapter 4.2.5.2 --- Aspect 2: Significant others --- p.290 / Chapter 4.2.5.2.1 --- Mother --- p.290 / Chapter 4.2.5.2.2 --- Other people --- p.298 / Chapter 4.2.5.2.3 --- Summary --- p.304 / Chapter 4.2.5.3 --- Aspect 3: Beliefs --- p.304 / Chapter 4.2.5.4 --- Summary --- p.306 / Chapter 4.2.6 --- Overall summary of Section 4.2 --- p.307 / Chapter 4.3 --- Perceived experiences of their present lives --- p.309 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Area 1: Meanings of becoming a university student --- p.309 / Chapter 4.3.1.1 --- Familial meanings --- p.309 / Chapter 4.3.1.2 --- Personal meanings --- p.313 / Chapter 4.3.1.3 --- Summary --- p.326 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Area 2: Perceived differences with the peers in university --- p.326 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Area 3: Economic circumstances --- p.333 / Chapter 4.3.3.1 --- Personal financial circumstances --- p.334 / Chapter 4.3.3.2 --- Perceived meanings of with or without financial support from the Government to their families --- p.347 / Chapter 4.3.3.3 --- Summary --- p.350 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Area 4: Perceptions of one's roles in the family --- p.351 / Chapter 4.3.5 --- Overall summary of Section 4.3 --- p.357 / Chapter 4.4 --- Perceived future lives --- p.359 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Expected lives after graduation and the related contributory factors --- p.359 / Chapter 4.4.1.1 --- Area 1: Work --- p.359 / Chapter 4.4.1.2 --- Area 2: Life style --- p.369 / Chapter 4.4.1.3 --- Area 3: Economic circumstances --- p.372 / Chapter 4.4.1.4 --- Area 4: Marriage --- p.380 / Chapter 4.4.1.5 --- Area 5: Spouse --- p.383 / Chapter 4.4.1.6 --- Area 6: Quality of relationship in future family --- p.389 / Chapter 4.4.1.6.1 --- Marital relationship --- p.389 / Chapter 4.4.1.6.2 --- Parent-child relationship --- p.392 / Chapter 4.4.1.7 --- Summary --- p.396 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Feelings about their future lives --- p.397 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Overall summary of Section 4.4 --- p.403 / Chapter 4.5 --- Summary of the findings and findings deserving special attention --- p.404 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Discussion and Recommendation --- p.423 / Chapter 5.1 --- Discussion of nine aspects of findings --- p.423 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Aspect 1 -- Role of education in life --- p.423 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Aspect 2 -- Absence of father as the main cause of economic hardship --- p.425 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- "Aspect 3 -- Being a ""good child""" --- p.427 / Chapter 5.1.4 --- Aspect 4 -- Difficult growth trajectory --- p.430 / Chapter 5.1.5 --- Aspect 5 -- Poverty: Blessing in disguise --- p.434 / Chapter 5.1.6 --- Aspect 6 -- Family of origin's influence on expectations of future life --- p.437 / Chapter 5.1.7 --- Aspect 7 -- Five protective factors in development --- p.440 / Chapter 5.1.8 --- Aspect 8 -- Mothers experiencing economic disadvantage: Long-suffering women guarding their children --- p.443 / Chapter 5.1.9 --- Aspect 9 -- Balanced view of the CSSA scheme --- p.446 / Chapter 5.1.10 --- Summary --- p.452 / Chapter 5.2 --- Theoretical contributions and implications of the present findings --- p.455 / Chapter 5.3 --- Practical implications and recommendations of the present findings --- p.459 / Chapter 5.4 --- Limitations of this study --- p.461 / Chapter Chapter Six --- Conclusion --- p.463 / Chapter 6.1 --- Summary of findings --- p.463 / Chapter 6.2 --- Evaluation of the quality of this qualitative study --- p.468 / Chapter 6.3 --- Directions for further study --- p.470 / Bibliography --- p.473 / Appendix I: Written Consent Form --- p.494 / Appendix II: Interview Guide --- p.495

Thesis (M.A. (Social Work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2018 / The overall aim of the study was to explore the perceptions of the phenomenon ‘Absent Fathers’ in Mphanama Community. The objectives of the study were to assess the effects of culture and beliefs on the domination of parenting, to debunk the myth that marital status of parents determines the involvement of fathers in their children’s upbringing and to establish who is seen as having the majority power over the child in Northern Sotho culture as compared to other cultures. This study used qualitative approach because the researcher wanted to explore and understand the phenomenon of Absent Fathers. The researcher focused on feelings, behaviour, descriptions and words from the participants. The other reason for using this approach was to find reality about perceptions of the phenomenon absent fathers and explore their primary interpretation of their situation than that of the researcher. The researcher used exploratory research design. The data was collected through semi-structured face-to-face interview was collected from twenty (20) single mothers who are bona fide members of Mphanama and have not just visited the community at the time of the study. The sample was inclusive to single mothers who are bona fide members of Mphanama and have not just visited the community at the time of the study. Their marital statuses were not considered upon selection, so this may be mothers who were never married, married or even divorced women. The participants were from different ages as insight from all age cohorts will be highly valuable. The researcher underpinned the study from the feminist movement is vast in orientation and there is no singular prescription of what the feminist theory constitutes. It is however, stated that within the feminism there is a high degree of consensus that the distinct underlying principle is the awareness of gender and the politics of gender within society. The researcher used thematic data analysis. The researcher followed the steps of thematic data analysis which are transcription of data, checking and editing, Analysing and interpretation, and Generalization. This study is relevant to Social Work Profession and the Department of Social Development as it will contribute positively in delivering services to the clients served. The issue of absent fathers often leads to family dysfunction and leads to other social problems, this is frequently visible in rural families of low-economic-class where the father is usually seen as the sole provider for the family.

Poverty among children has received a great deal of attention in the media the past few years. The group in which poverty among children has increased most is among single parents; therefore we have chosen to examine this group in this study. The purpose of this study is to take part in single parents and their children’s experiences of living within a very tight budget and the strategies they use. We found it interesting to put this information in relationship to the consumer society we live in today. Single parents and some of their children have participated in this study. Using focus groups in which the constellations were different group discussions were led that were based on different themes that are relevant to this study. A qualitative study has been done in which interest in the interviewed peoples own experiences and stories has been in focus. This has been done using an abductive approach. With the help of previous knowledge and literature studies we have found our preliminary theories. These theories were then applied to the interviewers; this led to the theories used in the study. The theoretical perspective used is from Bourdieus thoughts about the concept lifestyle along with Goffmans reasoning about the importance of rolls in the social scene where individuals act to reflect themselves. We have even found a perspective of stress theories to be interesting. One conclusion in this study is that the choice of strategies can be reflected in the individual’s lifestyle.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of father absence on child and family adjustment in relation to age, sex, maternal employment and education, family system and the degree of turbulence (i.e. the amount of conflict and physical abuse in the family). The sample consisted of 447 low SES Indian children (ranging in age from six to eighteen years) and 204 of their mothers from to intact, widowed and divorced families. The instruments used were: Child Behaviour Rating Scale (Cassel, 1962); Semantic Differential; Self-Esteem Inventory (Coopersmith, 1967); Personal, Home, Social and Formal Relations Questionnaire (HSRC, 1968); Family Environment Scale (Moos, 1986); Mother-Child Relationship Evaluation (Roth, 1961) and Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965). The following significant results were obtained. Teachers' perceptions of adjustment were more positive for children from intact than father-absent families, for females than males, for children from secondary than primary schools, for children from nuclear than to extended family systems, for children whose mothers had secondary, compared to primary school education and for children who experienced low compared to high turbulence. Children from the divorced, compared to the intact and widowed groups, perceived their fathers more negatively, and their teachers more positively. Females from intact and divorced families perceived their families and schools more positively than males, while the reverse applied to the widowed group. Fathers from low, compared to high, turbulence families were perceived more positively. Adolescents from intact families indicated greater personal freedom than the divorced group. Those who experienced high, compared to low, turbulence had lower self-control, moral sense and personal freedom. Females from intact families were better adjusted on general sociability. This applied to males in both father-absent groups. Married, compared to single mothers had more positive perceptions of self, family and mother-child relationships. These differences also applied to working mothers, compared to housewives, for mothers with secondary, compared to primary, school education and for mothers who experienced low, compared to high, turbulence. The results were discussed with respect to their theoretical and practical implications for policy makers, mental health workers and educationists. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1989.

This study assessed the relationship and rivalry differences among siblings of intact families versus divorced families. It involved children, young adults, and adults from a Midwestern, moderately sized community. These participants answered two brief questionnaires requesting information on their age, sex, ethnicity, family structure, and perceived sibling relationships. The researcher found that there were no overall differences between children of married parents versus divorced parents except concerning the level of antagonism. Further, it was found that there were differing levels of dominance, nurturance, and quarrels in sibling relationships depending on the level of contact with step or half siblings and the child's perceptions of the parents' current relationship with each other. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

The study was aimed at investigating the effects of single parenthood on school going adolescents on a group of male and female children schooling in Gaborone District of Botswana. The research questions focused on investigating the effects of. single parenthood on the social interactions of school-going adolescents, effects on their performance in class, the attitude of the community on such adolescents and whether single parenthood affected boys and girls differently. To start the investigation, a sample of 80 adolescents was randomly selected from a total of 2 000 form 4 and form 5 students. The findings revealed that the majority (91.3%) of school-going adolescents from single parenthood stay with their mothers. The survey findings also revealed that school-going adolescents from single parenthood do not get along with their single parent, single parents are not always around to attend to the needs of their children and they are not always happy at home. The survey findings showed that there are poor child-parent relationships and this adversely affects the children's performance at school. The study revealed that the majority of adolescents from single-parent households have fallen behind in some of their subjects (77.5%), have problems getting their homework done on time (46.3%) , have unsatisfactory school reports and they have failed some the subjects they are doing (78.8%). / (M. Ed.) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2005