Magister Artium - MA / South Africa is recognised as having world-class status in the call centre arena and this industry has grown exponentially in the last two decades, as has the number of women entering the workforce, including married and single mothers. Call centres provide a 24/7 service to the public, and therefore employees are expected to work shifts in this environment. It is also evident that even though mothers are making a significant contribution to the workforce, the role of the working mother is still that of primary caregiver and nurturer in the home. The main purpose of this study was to examine and compare the psychological well-being of single and married mothers, who do and do not work shifts in a call centre environment. The study findings were based on quantitative research in a call centre in the Western Cape, South Africa, with a sample of 192 single and married working mothers, of whom 135 mothers worked shifts and 57 mothers did not. Psychological well-being was indicated by the use of two instruments: Rosenberg‟s(1965) Self-esteem Scale and Diener‟s (1982) Satisfaction with Life Scale. The data was analysed using the Statistical Package in the Social Sciences (SPSS version 20). The analysis of the data included the use of descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings of the study show that marital status has a significant effect on the psychological well-being of working mothers in this call centre environment. However, it was found that shift work did not make a significant difference to the psychological well-being of the working mothers in this call centre. The Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was used to analyse the interaction of the four groups (single, married, shift working and non-shift working mothers) and the results of this analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the interaction between the groups.Recommendations are provided in the study.

The present thesis focuses on the image of single-mothers in the selected mass media - that is to say the most read Czech newspapers. The thesis pursues several theories and the concepts such as mass media and their role in setting the agenda for public policy, the stigmatization of lone-parent families (single-mothers), the theory of social construction of target groups (Schneider and Ingram), the topic of lone-parent families and poverty, the feminization of poverty, and concept of social exclusion. The main aim of the thesis is to determine the description of single-mothers in the selected mass media and to find the links, namely between this broadly adopted picture and public policy. Thus, the thesis contains the basic characterization of the situation of single-mothers based on various statistic data, the above mentioned theories and concepts, the presentation of the analyzed newspapers and a detailed description of the method used for the research. The chosen method in the present thesis is the quantitative content analysis. It is the most suitable way to analyze a large number of texts originating from a longer period - which is exactly the case of this study. The texts were selected based on pre-determined keywords. The results of the research are presented in charts and tables - both- in the...

The thesis "the growing indebtedness of Czech households: a case study of single mothers" deals with the issue of indebtedness of Czech households with a focus on single mother's debt. This is a topic not too popular, but in this time of increasing household debt is still very topical. The primary objective of this study is to determine what are the causes of indebtedness of single-parent families (single mothers). In addition, determine whether it is appropriate to deal with the problem in general or specifically focusing on a particular group. Finally, the author deals with the topic of social networks, which may or may not have an effect on the debt ratio of the selected groups of people, and also focuses on finding, if enough of the non-profit organizations that can help single mothers complex living situation. The author uses to fulfill the aforementioned objectives analysis of documents, analysis of the relevant legal framework, in particular, of law No 182/2006 Coll. on bankruptcy and the ways of its solution, further analysis of the service and consultancy activities relating to the non-profit sector, the analysis of technical articles from abroad (for inspiration this solution in the Czech Republic) and finally carries out qualitative half structured interviews with the actresses and also with the...

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This qualitative study seeks to identify the situational and cultural influences related to single motherhood among a specific population in South Africa. Through semi-structured interviews and participant observation, this thesis reveals the life stories and experiences of the women utilizing the Salem Baby Care Centre. Hopefully, this contributed to a better understanding of these Xhosa mothers' reasons for remaining single. These single mothers are caught in a cycle of poverty. They often begin having children at a very young age, leading to children with different fathers. This differs from traditional family systems where women and children were protected. Women are often solely responsible for the physical care of their children. Additionally, in recent years AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases have risen drastically. These factors, combined with the poverty of their partners which limits their ability to pay lobula, distrust of men, apartheid, and urbanization, are all explored in this study as reasons for these mothers remaining single.

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Abstract "Societal factors of racism and implicit bias are present in the United States' school systems and they result in inequities in achievement outcomes" (Green., 2016, p. 2). The objective of this qualitative study was to discover more about African American males raised by single mothers, and the perceived factors that helped them complete high school. The interview protocol for this study consisted of fourteen questions. Researching the perceived factors that contributed to the academic success of African American male students who came from single parent households may provide the insight needed to create strategies for schools, communities, and families to help African American males from single parent homes achieve high school completion. This study included a purposive sample of African American male alumni from a high school in Southwest Virginia as participants. The research question is, what perceived factors aided African American males from single parent homes completing high school and the role of their immediate family members, networks which may include teachers, counselors, administrators, coaches, mentorship organizations, places of worship, and after-school programs served as the research question. / Doctor of Education / General Audience Abstract The purpose of the study was to identify the factors African American males raised by single mothers attributed to them completing high school at a particular school in Southwest Virginia. Five African American males who completed high school from 2011 to 2021 were interviewed. From the interviews conducted, the researcher found seven themes. The themes were strong relationships with their mothers, relationships are important, mothers involved in schools, exposure to extracurricular activities and programs, extended family support, religion, and self-determination. School administrators, teachers, and school personnel could use the data from this study. Schools should consider incorporating activities to strengthen mother-son relationships, establish mentorship programs, and school personnel should consider organizing internships for the African American males who are being raised by single mothers.

This study explored the experiences of individuals who were raised in single-mother families. Children of single mothers (COSM) constitute an understudied population that has often been misrepresented in literature on diverse family structures. The present study builds on current knowledge about the barriers to thriving COSM experience and how COSM build strength in the face of challenges. Data were gathered through 20 semi-structured interviews with self-identified adult children of single mothers. Analysis of the data was guided by constructivist grounded theory methodology (Charmaz, 2014). A theoretical framework emerged from the data that suggested a core narrative of cultivating capacities through strategies that manage social stigma and at-home strain. Participants described taking an active role in navigating the complexities of holding an identity that falls outside of dominant norms. A combination of participants’ at-home, familial environment and their broader, societal environment provided the foundational context for this process to emerge. Cultivating growth-fostering capacities or simply “capacities” was a process that allowed COSM participants to take agency in managing their circumstances. This process was described by participants as “bittersweet,” as it was born through experiences of overcoming, yet left them with traits that had the potential to be assets. Often, these capacities served COSM participants well across different contexts and throughout the lifespan. The findings of this study therefore offer a broadened understanding of a group that is represented by more than 17.2 million children being raised by a single mother in the U.S. today (U.S. Census Bureau, 2016). Findings also provide insight into the impact of stigma and how strength is built in the context of the various life stressors, negative attitudes, and discrimination that previous studies have shown COSM experience (e.g., Dowd, 1995; Hoffman & Avila, 1998; Jarrett, 1996; Kennelly, 1999; Kjellstrand, 2011; Wilson, 2011; Worell, 1986). The present investigation serves as a foundation to inform future research and practice with COSM, and it assists in repositioning single-mother households so that greater validation may be given to these families as legitimate social constructs, while counteracting the stigma that presents barriers to optimal functioning. Specific implications for practice, training, research, and policy are provided and include a need for greater attention to family structure diversity as well as the accompanying process of “othering” that can result when this is lacking. Among clinicians, COSM identity ought to be seen as an important clinical consideration, rather than a concern. Suggestions for future research include: (a) continuing to explore COSM adversity management and strength construction within today’s societal context; (b) seeking a deeper understanding of how capacities built under hardship are utilized; and (c) examining further the impact of intersectionality of COSM identity with other social group affiliations. Implications for policy suggest that addressing the systemic shaming that this group has faced for decades requires structural-level work.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Sciences