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This thesis identifies and discusses three specific approaches to the subject of the unmarried mother in the British and American novel. The novels used to illustrate the perspective of the unmarried mother as a tragic figure are Charlotte Temple by Susanna Rowson, Adam Bede by George Eliot, Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy, and Jennie Gerhardt by Theodore Dreiser. The novels considered in the discussion of the second approach, that of the unmarried mother as a sacrificial figure, are George Moore's Esther Waters, Fannie Hurst's Lummox, Ethel Wilson’s Lilly's Story, and Joyce Carol Oates's A Garden of Earthly Delights. In examining the third approach to the unmarried mother, which perceives of her as a human being who grows in self-awareness and sensitivity to others through her experience, these novels have been used: The L-Shaped Room by Lynne Reid Banks, The Millstone by Margaret Drabble, Jane by Dee Wells, and Give Me One Good Reason by Norma Klein.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Technology, Sydney, 1999.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1974. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Illegitimacy is an old problem, but illegitimacy among school aged children (thirteen to sixteen) appears to have new features, at least in North America, and perhaps increased incidence. The present study is an exploratory one on two points: (a) what can be regarded from contemporary research and writing on the subject, on the causes; (b) what are the appropriate services and treatment principles: both are of particular concern for social workers, who are called on in various circumstances to deal with the girls, their children and their parents. Current literature, particularly from social science sources, is reviewed; and this suggests a number of inferences and insights: of contemporary adolescent society and teenage subculture; of gang influences and status conflicts; of the role of young girls in relation to gang and sexual experimentation encouraged by them. Community attitudes towards the unmarried mother and her specific problems, are illustrated by Jamaica. The Manchester study is a two year project produced by the Department of Psychiatry of the University of Manchester. Fifty unwed girls are discussed; their personality typologies, and their degree of normality. The second part of the study reviews a group of actual case histories drawn from the Children's Aid Society of Vancouver's 1960 records, and these are analyzed with special reference to their social contacts and family relationships. Three particular documented cases exemplify the gang influences, the child from the broken home, and the child reacting to family stress. From both sources (general literature and specific cases) there is most evidence of two forces at work, (a) young people are today exposed to numerous unfavorable community influences including inconsistent or confusing social attitudes which can lead to illicit sex relations; (b) girls from disrupted families may become "sensitized", and vulnerable risks, because the internal pressures reinforce the external or group pressures on them in their daily life. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

This study was designed to elicit information about the concerns and coping behaviours of the unmarried mother. A convenient sample of 20 unmarried mothers was interviewed, utilizing a semi-structured questionnaire. Extensive face-to-face interviews were conducted with the mothers in their homes. The data were analyzed by the use of frequency distribution tables and percentages. Pearson product-moment correlation was used to examine the association between selected variables. The findings of the study revealed that the mothers ranged from 20 to 36 years of age, with an average age of 27.1 years. Their education levels varied from Grade 7 to 12, with the majority of them reaching Grade 10, 11 or 12. Fifteen mothers had 1 child and 5 mothers had between 2 and 3 children. The average age of the children was 3 years and 4 months. Their ages ranged from 2 months to 8 years. The children under 6 months of age all had older siblings. The mothers exhibited a variety of lifestyles. Of the 20 mothers, 5 were employed full-time, and 4 were full-time students. Fourteen received financial aid through Social Assistance, and 1 mother, a full-time student, supported herself and her child on a student loan. Incomes varied among the mothers. The majority of those on welfare lived on annual incomes below $3,000. The working mothers had annual incomes ranging from approximately $4,000 to $7,500. Those mothers who derived their incomes from employment had 1 child, with only 1 mother having a child under 3 years of age. Those who derived incomes from Social Assistance had from 1 to 3 children. Ten of the 14 mothers in this group had a child or children under 3 years of age. Concerns articulated by the mothers were related to finances; childcare facilities, especially for those mothers with children under 3 years of age; housing; job training; and adequate information from agencies concerning services available to mothers on Social Assistance. In contrast to previous studies done in the United States, the mothers expressed few concerns regarding the availability of physical health care. All had access to a physician. Forty-five percent of the mothers scored high on an emotional health status scale, indicating some degree of emotional impairment. Many of those who scored high on this scale also perceived themselves as having a high number of socio-economic problems. In confirmation of this finding, Pearson product-moment correlation revealed a very high positive relationship of r = +.837 between these variables. None of the mothers with annual incomes between $4,000 to $7,500 scored high on either of these two scales. Forty-seven percent of the mothers who felt a need for consultation about a specific concern, sought professional assistance. However, many preferred to talk with friends and/or relatives about their concerns. It was only among 15 percent of the mothers that the child's father provided any emotional support. A deterrent to the use of community agencies was attributed to the mothers' lack of knowledge about available services, or their negative perception of professional workers. Of those mothers who were neither employed nor going to school, many aspired to jobs and financial security. From the findings of this study, it seemed that the mothers exhibited different methods of adapting to solo parenthood. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Nursing, School of / Graduate

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Thesis(M.S.)--Auburn University, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographic references (p.75-79).

Thesis (M.A.B.S.)--International Christian Graduate University School of Theology, 1985. / Bibliography: leaves 73-75.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work