Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 165-178). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 2005. / Not embargoed. Vita. Bibliography: 156-180.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Ashland Theological Seminary, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 160-168).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 165-178). Also available on the Internet.

Models of parenting are becoming increasingly complex. The domain has evolved from a simple parent behavior - child behavior paradigm to one which considers systemic influences. Contextual variables, such as life stress and depressed mood, are beginning to receive much attention in the literature. Also, researchers have noted the importance of measuring parent cognition (i.e., perceptions) and affect in addition to acquiring information regarding parent behavior. The present study was designed to explore the role played by two levels of stress; global life events and daily hassles, and by depressed mood, in determining maternal affective, behavioral and cognitive responses to child behavior. A community sample of 66 single mothers participated in the study. Mothers read 12 descriptions of child behavior, each embedded in one of three contexts of stress (i.e., global life event context, daily hassles context, no stress context). The sample was divided into three groups (n=22) on the basis of scores on a standard mood instrument. Only those mothers who received scores in the two extreme groups (i.e., depressed mood and nondepressed mood) were included in the main analyses. A two-way repeated measures MANOVA revealed a main effect for stress, but not for mood, when the BDI was used to create the groups. When the CES-D was utilized, a main effect for stress, and for mood, was detected. No significant stress by mood interaction was observed. Follow-up univariate ANOVAS and multiple comparision tests revealed that the daily hassles context had a greater influence on maternal responses to child behavior than did the global life events context. That is, mothers were more affectively aroused, indicated a more intense anticipated behavioral reaction and perceived the child behavior to be more deviant, in the daily hassles condition compared to the other conditions. In addition, mothers who reported more depressed mood indicated greater affective responsiveness to the child behavior vignettes than mothers who did not report depressed mood. The results are discussed in terms of empirical and applied implications. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

M.A. / According to the Report on Marriage and Divorce (Department of Internal Affairs 1981: report no. 07/02/15), 17 065 cases of divorce were recorded among the white population of South Africa in the above mentioned year. A total of 22 167 minor children were involved. Statistics therefore indicate that many children today find themselves in broken homes, where the full responsibility of child rearing rests on single parents. Single parents who, because of internal and external factors are not always fully capable of accepting and answering to this responsibility. Problems are usually vaguely associated with single parent families. This study was intended to clarify the specific educational problems of the single parent family. With the aid of six socio-pedagogic categories a deeper perspective into the single parent situation was gained. The research covered a theoretical study of the relevant literature and the formulation of a number of criteria to evaluate the quality of educative support rendered to the toddler in the home, as primary educational situation. From these criteria a structured questionnaire was formulated, by means of which the views of 21 single parent mothers residing in Alberton, Boksburg and Germiston were ascertained ...

Please read the abstract in the section 07 summury of this document Copyright / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

This exploratory study investigated how four independent variables, namely post-marital residence, length of time in a single parent family, gender and change in relative age position in the family, affect the closeness of stepsibling relationships. This research focused primarily on families in which stepsiblings lived together in the same household; however, individuals who had stepsiblings living in another location were also included in the study. A sample of 139 people was generated through a purposive method of requesting names of eligible persons from county extension agents in four Western states (Utah, Idaho, Oregon and Arizona), and from ten introductory classes in Family and Human Development and Sociology during the fall and winter quarters of the 1984-1985 school year.Questionnaires were mailed out. Ninety surveys were returned, yielding a response rate of 65 percent . Seventy-five of the instruments were usable (N=75). The analysis consisted of a two way analysis of covariance for the first three variables. A Kruskal-Wallace was used for the dethronement variable given the small numbers in each of the cells. Post-marital residence and gender of the respondents had no discernible effect on the dependent variable in this study. While the variable months in a single parent family did not have a significant effect on the feelings of closeness towards stepsiblings, a positive trend was noted between the two. A strong but non-significant relationship was discovered between the variable of dethronement and the dependent variable. Further analysis was conducted on a separate independent variable, whether or not the respondents were informed about the parental remarriage, and on two dependent variables as follows: feelings towards stepsiblings at the time of remarriage as well as feelings about the actual remarriage, loving relationships between stepsiblings. A significant difference was noted between informed and non-informed respondents and the first dependent variable. A strong but nonsignificant relationship was discovered between the same groups of respondents and the second dependent variable. Implications for therapy were generated from the results of the study. Suggestions for the optimum times to introduce therapy were also given, as well as strategies that would be useful in enhancing stepsibling functioning.

This report examines the influence of parent’s migration status on childhood mortality in sending households in the South African rural sub-district of Agincourt. A survival analysis of a cohort of children born in Agincourt between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2003 was conducted using the Cox proportional hazards model to estimate the influence of parent’s migration status on under-5 year mortality. Starting with a baseline census in 1992, the Agincourt Health and Demographic Surveillance System (AHDSS) data are collected and updated every 12 months wherein fieldworkers visit each household at the site to record the vital events, including births, deaths, and migrations that occurred since the previous census. Results of the survival analysis show that children born in households where the father was a temporary migrant while the mother remained at the rural household had a 35% lower risk of death compared to children in households where both parents were non-migrant (RR=0.647, 95% CI 0.439-0.954). The results also reveal that, controlling for parent migration status, children in single-parent (mother only) households had about 28% higher death hazard than children in two-parent households (RR=1.284, 95% CI 0.936-1.673). The findings suggest that temporary labour migration could be a means to improving household incomes and quality of life for children, particularly where the father is a temporary migrant while the mother remains behind taking care of the children. At the same time, children whose fathers are not indicated appear to be worse off whether their parents are temporary migrants or not.

This qualitative study used phenomenological research methods to explore the lived experiences of single parents attending community college. The phenomenological research design was used to better understand participant experiences by examining the participant’s view of their situation. Thirteen single-parent students in community colleges in the United States were selected using purposeful sampling techniques. The participants included ten female participants and three male participants. Of these participants, nine students attended full-time, and four attended part-time. Each student participated in one-on-one interviews using Zoom technology. The participants provided their perceptions of their experiences as single parents attending community college. These participants described themselves and their experiences through the lenses of motivation, challenges, needs, and support. In these interviews, key themes emerged. These themes included the recognition that single parents struggle emotionally and feel disconnected, the acknowledgment of single-parent strengths such as time management, organization, and hard work, and the need for single-parent aid such as financial, childcare, and academic assistance. Additional themes included the challenge for single parents to juggle conflicting roles, the fundamental role of internal motivation and drive, and the importance of communication, mentorship, and support. The findings of my study can be used to further institutional practice and provide insight into guidance and support for single-parent students.