Current political forces see education as a potential solution to the economic slide the United States is experiencing. This push toward higher education and resulting employment creates a conflict for women expected by society to serve as primary caregivers of children. Research suggests that working mothers experience feelings of guilt related to the conflict between parenting and employment roles that may come from failure to personify the intensive mothering ideology. Student parents potentially share this guilt but few studies exist that investigate this. The results of this study suggest that student parents do experience guilt and identify relationships between guilt, gender, and relationship status. The nature of these relationships is unclear at this time, highlighting the need for further research

This study focused on the experiences of undergraduate students with dependent children enrolled in university programs. A holistic approach was adopted to examine student parents’ experiences beyond the academic context. In particular, the research examined how student parents maintain their motivation to attend school despite significant strain and conflict added by taking on the student role. Three specific research questions were investigated exploring motivation to attend university, the influence of self-efficacy beliefs, and how student parents define their success as well as the strategies/supports they utilize to enable their success. Three theories were utilized to provide complementary approaches to explore the research questions: Self-Determination Theory, Possible Selves Theory, and Social Cognitive Theory. Student parent participants were recruited from four universities in southern Ontario as part of a larger study of mature students. Three hundred and ninety-eight students completed an online survey that consisted of a mixture of open- and closed-ended questions. A mixed methods approach was utilized to analyze these data. Qualitative analyses included a directed and a conventional qualitative content analysis. Quantitative analyses included structural equation modeling work to test for measurement invariance based on enrollment status and to evaluate two competing structural models investigating the impact of efficacy beliefs. The findings from this research provide evidence that student parents are quite self-determined in their motivations to attend university and that their motivation includes a strong future focus on their goal aspirations. Student parents’ self-efficacy beliefs and perceptions of school-family balance were found to be significant contributors to school, family, and life satisfaction. Measurement invariance was demonstrated for the study variables based on enrollment status and there were very few differences found between student parents studying on a full-time or part-time basis. Student parents defined success as encompassing multiple aspects, rather than a unitary focus on their student role. These broader definitions of success included success in terms of their individual development, their family relationships, and their workplaces in addition to their student roles. Practical implications of the work suggest ways that educational institutions, students, and others might support student parents’ success.

Thesis advisor: Lisa Dodson / Thesis advisor: C. Shawn McGuffey / Non-traditional students are quickly becoming a statistical majority of the undergraduate student population. Furthermore, nearly one-quarter of contemporary undergraduates is a student parent. Emergent imperatives shaped by technological changes in the economy, deindustrialization, credential inflation, the continuing feminization of poverty and the diminished safety net for low-income families have created a mandate for postsecondary education for anyone hoping to move from poverty into the middle-class. Yet, welfare reforms of the past 17 years have de-prioritized, discouraged, and disallowed post-secondary education as a meaningful pathway for low-income parents to achieve economic mobility, even despite a large body of research demonstrating the connections between higher education and: income, occupational prestige, access to employer sponsored benefits, positive intergenerational outcomes, community development, and broader societal gains. While previous research has focused on the impact of welfare reform on access to post-secondary education for participants within the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance program, declining overall TANF participation rates indicate that low-income families are largely turning to more diverse strategies to support their families and pursue higher education. Despite both the recent growth of the population of student parents as a significant minority of the undergraduate population, and the rise of governmental initiatives promoting the expansion of post-secondary education and training to traditionally underserved student populations, very little is known about the comprehensive experiences of contemporary low-income mothers as they navigate college while simultaneously working to balance these endeavors with motherhood and family labor, paid employment and public assistance requirements. This dissertation presents the findings of a multi-method institutional ethnographic research process through which the author collected data regarding the experiences of low-income mothers across the country. This process included conducting in-depth interviews with 31 low-income mothers who were currently enrolled in college or who had been enrolled in college within the past year. Additionally, research journals were collected from an additional 20 participants documenting their experiences across an academic term. In total these participants represented 10 states in three regions of the United States: The West Coast, Mid-West, and Northeast. Secondary data were collected through: institutional interviews with student parent program coordinators, collection of primary materials from programs serving student parents throughout the country, and review of primary policy documents regarding higher education and federal and state welfare policies. As a feminist participatory action research project, participatory methods were employed at all stages of the research process and included the use of two interpretive focus groups within campus-based programs serving student parents that both added to the research findings and to the process of analysis and interpretation. The findings of this dissertation begin by painting the picture of the complex lifeworlds of low-income mothers and their simultaneous experience of role strain and material hardship as they work to balance the responsibilities of college enrollment with mothering, work, and the labor involved in researching, applying for and maintaining multiple public assistance benefits. Next, the author argues that conflicts between higher education policies and public assistance policies as experienced by participants shape the strategies through which they attempt to make ends meet and finance their education and ultimately exacerbate their experiences of role strain and material hardship. The author then moves to explore the impact that these policies have on academic outcomes for this sub-set of students. The dissertation concludes with a discussion of the broader social context in which this takes place: one in which policies have been structured on meritocracy rather than equal opportunity for higher education. This presents a dual-edge sword scenario however in that the American Dream both drives the motivation of low-income mothers to persevere in college despite tremendous hardship and personal sacrifice, while it also serves to frame the very policies that make their quest for higher education so grueling. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2013. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Sociology.

Not much is known about young fathers in South Africa; as a result, there is a lack of literature that focuses on young fathers and fatherhood in South Africa. However, there is a growing body of international literature about young fathers and their perceptions of fatherhood, even though this is mostly concentrated in the global north, especially the United States. The overall aim of the study was to explore the perspectives and experiences of early fatherhood among 'Black' university students in Durban. This was done by engaging young black men that are fathers. A qualitative approach was adopted in order to give the respondents freedom to discuss their experiences at length. The sample consisted of seven respondents that are Black, fulltime students and aged 18-25. Young fathers who are 'Black' were chosen purposefully because the statistics show that the fet1ility rate of young Black people is significantly high when compared to young people of other race groups in South Africa. This study found that all the young fathers that participated in this study had not intended to have children, and were therefore not ready to become fathers when their partners told them that they were pregnant. Furthermore, it was found that all the young fathers that pa11icipated in this study did not live with their children. Instead, the children lived with their mothers. There were various reasons given for this arrangement, but the most dominant one was that it was because the young fathers had not paid damages to their partners' families, as cultural practices dictate, for having impregnated them. Most young fathers that participated in this study are no longer intimately involved with the mothers of their children. However, they are on good terms with them and they have managed to maintain civil relationships with them in order to have access to their children. This study found that modem contraceptive knowledge is high amongst young fathers, although the usage is inconsistent. Finally, this study found that young fathers equate fatherhood to responsibility, providing financially, giving emotional support, and spending quality time with their children. However, there was a feeling of inadequacy and dissatisfaction amongst young fathers because of hindrances that prevent them from executing their roles of fatherhood effectively. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

The purpose of this study is to critically explore low-income women's experience as they negotiate post secondary education in community colleges. Three research questions explore the context through which low-income women have entered the college experience, what that experience is like for them, and how the community college experience has impacted their consciousness and view of their futures. This study has significance because poverty is a critical social issue for women, post secondary education is a route out of poverty yet social welfare policy does not support access to education, community colleges have traditionally provided access to education but supports for women have been diminished, and poor women's voices and their own definitions of educational access and success are missing from the public and academic debate of these issues. Past qualitative studies that focus on poor women's experience of college are smaller parts of quantitative studies. Other existing in depth studies have focused on obstacles, persistence, and support systems, or have been studies of special transitional programs formed specifically for welfare eligible women. There is little knowledge of women's experience and sense of self from their perspective as students who are also in poverty. This study uses the research technique of in depth unstructured interviews with eight welfare eligible women student parents in Oregon's Parents as Scholars Program. Six themes emerge from the narrative interviews with the participants that that have implications for educational practice and add to and expand the small body of qualitative work that has been done on the college experiences of low-income women students. / Graduation date: 2012

The single-mother college student population has quietly grown to over two million undergraduate students over the last two decades, but most of them will not attain a degree. What has been missing is a better understanding of the lived experiences of successfully persisting single-mother college students as told by the women themselves. This phenomenological case study interviewed 11 students from a regional university in the southwestern portion of the United States. Four themes emerged as expressed by the participants themselves: "Just because you have a baby doesn't mean your life is over" (Rebekah); "In the middle of a test, my kid throws up" (Sarah); "They're building me to be independent" (Anna Maria); and "I'm really doing this" (Juno). Their synthesized lived experiences were expressed through the simile of a seasoned gymnast. Overall, they shared adeptness at resource management and problem solving, strategically using support while building resiliency and self-efficacy. This study of successfully persisting single-mother college students can aid institutions in improving their support mechanisms for these students.

<p> </p> <p> Graduate student-parents face numerous challenges, such as balancing their parent, student, and worker roles, and often having to “prove” themselves as serious students and parents. Although these challenges are potentially life-changing and can lead to high graduate student attrition rates, research on the social, academic, and work-related experiences of graduate student-parents is scarce. Through this dissertation, I aimed to shed light on an often overlooked population. </p> <p> This dissertation is presented in the form of two distinct articles conceptually related in nature. The first article integrates literature from various fields relevant to graduate student-parents. Through a critique of the existing literature, I noted three significant issues: (a) a lack of focus on the experiences of graduate student fathers, (b) a lack of focus on intersectionality, and (c) a virtual nonexistence of how psychologists can bridge the gap between research findings and policy change. The article ends with suggestions for practitioners in university counseling center settings. </p> <p> The purpose of the second article is to examine whether advisor support buffers the relations between parent-based discrimination and emotional, work-, and family-related outcomes. I hypothesized that the indirect effect between perceived discrimination and SFC/WFC via burnout will be significant and positive at low levels of academic advisor support. I also hypothesized that the simple indirect effect of perceived discrimination on SFC/WFC will be moderated by gender such that the indirect pathway will be stronger and more positive for women than for men. Data were collected on a sample of 261 graduate student-parents using an online survey. Results indicated that burnout mediated the relationship between perceived discrimination and school- and work-family conflict. Neither advisor support or gender moderated the mediated relationship between perceived discrimination and school-and work-family conflict. Practical and clinical implications are discussed, in addition to suggestions for future research. </p>

This graduation thesis has a theoretical and an exploratory character. The theoretical part is focused on the knowledge in the field of school evaluation and self- assessment of pupils. It defines the basic concepts, types, forms and functions of evaluation and self-assessment. The main aim is to define ways and various strategies to develop self-assessment skills of children in the beginning of primary school. The research questions and methods of investigation are formulated in the theoretical part. It presents results of long-term research about development of self- assessment skills of children from the beginning of 1st grade to the end of the first half of 2nd grade. One of the most significant parts of the research is devoted to specific strategies of the teacher, which positively affect the development of self- assessment skills of pupils, as well as involving parents in this process during a common consultation of teacher, student and parent.

This research is set within the context of the Kenyan Public Universities, where with the changing student population dynamics, students are increasingly choosing to combine parenting with studies. Many of these student parents both male and female have had to negotiate the academic requirements as well as the burden of parenthood. Such a study is important at this time of privatization and liberalization of higher education in order to open up public discourse on the provision of higher education and the effect on the socio-economic status of the students. Using qualitative research analysis based on socio-educational, socio cultural as well as socio-economic status (SES), a study was designed and conducted with the question posed: What are the socio-educational approaches of public universities with respect to student parents. Eighteen (18) interviews of ten (10) university officials and eight (8) student parents formed the research sample. Qualitative research questions were prepared in an in-depth interview guide and a focus group questioning route. Data revealed that there are students both male and female who are actively parenting in the public university and that they face role conflict and financial challenges which impacts on retention and completion rates of students in the public university. The research argues that there is need to create awareness of socioeconomic status (SES) in the university approach to inclusiveness of all students as well as student parents. Recommendations based on this study should be helpful as guidelines for a model on guidance for student parents as well as documentation of a clear policy on approaches or support for student parenthood in the public university. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Socio-Education)

This research is set within the context of the Kenyan Public Universities, where with the changing student population dynamics, students are increasingly choosing to combine parenting with studies. Many of these student parents both male and female have had to negotiate the academic requirements as well as the burden of parenthood. Such a study is important at this time of privatization and liberalization of higher education in order to open up public discourse on the provision of higher education and the effect on the socio-economic status of the students. Using qualitative research analysis based on socio-educational, socio cultural as well as socio-economic status (SES), a study was designed and conducted with the question posed: What are the socio-educational approaches of public universities with respect to student parents. Eighteen (18) interviews of ten (10) university officials and eight (8) student parents formed the research sample. Qualitative research questions were prepared in an in-depth interview guide and a focus group questioning route. Data revealed that there are students both male and female who are actively parenting in the public university and that they face role conflict and financial challenges which impacts on retention and completion rates of students in the public university. The research argues that there is need to create awareness of socioeconomic status (SES) in the university approach to inclusiveness of all students as well as student parents. Recommendations based on this study should be helpful as guidelines for a model on guidance for student parents as well as documentation of a clear policy on approaches or support for student parenthood in the public university. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Socio-Education)