Meta-parenting, defined as parents thinking about their parenting, has been identified and is a new field of research. The purposes of this study were to add to the existing knowledge of meta-parenting and to compare the influences of gender, work status, and parenting experience on meta-parenting occurring in parents of infants and toddlers. Sixty parents participated either electronically or by completing a written survey and reported engaging from "sometimes" to "usually" in four domains of meta-parenting: anticipating, assessing, reflecting, and problem-solving. Gender, work status, and parenting experience did not significantly influence participants' meta-parenting scores. Parents were found to have a higher sense of satisfaction and overall sense of competence when they engaged in higher levels of meta-parenting.

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Community Psychology at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2012. / The aim of this study was to investigate the emotional experiences of adolescents from single-parent families; the primary aim being to determine whether adolescents display emotional experiences that differ from those of adolescents from both-parent families (intact families). Literature reveals that single parenting is strongly associated with an increased risk of negative social, behavioural and emotional outcomes ( Callister, Burks, & Suart 2006; Ge, Conger, & Eelder, 2005). A quasi-experimental design was adopted for this study. A sample of one hundred learners in grade 12 at one of the Bizana senior secondary schools was selected for this study. Their ages ranged from 16yrs to 18yrs. Sample selection was purposive. Of the 100 learners that were selected, half of them were from-single-parent families and the other half was from both-parent families. Each of these learners was asked to complete a questionnaire that would objectively assess them on six dimensions of psychological well-being. Ryff’s 18 item psychological well-being questionnaire was used. The six dimensions of psychological well-being, namely autonomy (a), personal growth (pg), environmental mastery (em), purpose in life (pl), positive relations with others (pr) and self-acceptance (sa).

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Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006.

This study contributes to the growing knowledge base on postdivorce parenting. Recognizing the need to facilitate a better understanding of what makes the postdivorce parenting dyad work or not work, this study explored how individuals sustain a parenting relationship with their former partners when the couple relationship ends through separation or divorce. To date, knowledge about couples’ relationships has been absent from clinical approaches to assisting postdivorce parenting relationships and consequently there has been no bridge between the theories and paradigms of the couples’ literature and those of postdivorce parenting. This exploratory study examined the experiences and perspectives of 20 individual parents in Ontario, Canada. Individual interviews were held with each of the participants. The study identified key themes illuminating an emerging understanding of postdivorce relationships. These key themes will assist to better understand the postdivorce parenting relationship. Findings suggest that practitioners should consider that: (a) the postdivorce parenting relationship is highly complex and the development of a “working” or “not working” relationship results from an interaction among a range of factors; (b) understanding couple’s research is essential to comprehending this complexity because, despite the couple relationship ending, former couples remain a dyad because they are parents; (c) even when the postdivorce parenting relationship is “not working”, men and women describe other aspects of their lives as successful. The study’s findings have implications for mental health professionals and legal professionals working with parents during and following the divorce process.

This study contributes to the growing knowledge base on postdivorce parenting. Recognizing the need to facilitate a better understanding of what makes the postdivorce parenting dyad work or not work, this study explored how individuals sustain a parenting relationship with their former partners when the couple relationship ends through separation or divorce. To date, knowledge about couples’ relationships has been absent from clinical approaches to assisting postdivorce parenting relationships and consequently there has been no bridge between the theories and paradigms of the couples’ literature and those of postdivorce parenting. This exploratory study examined the experiences and perspectives of 20 individual parents in Ontario, Canada. Individual interviews were held with each of the participants. The study identified key themes illuminating an emerging understanding of postdivorce relationships. These key themes will assist to better understand the postdivorce parenting relationship. Findings suggest that practitioners should consider that: (a) the postdivorce parenting relationship is highly complex and the development of a “working” or “not working” relationship results from an interaction among a range of factors; (b) understanding couple’s research is essential to comprehending this complexity because, despite the couple relationship ending, former couples remain a dyad because they are parents; (c) even when the postdivorce parenting relationship is “not working”, men and women describe other aspects of their lives as successful. The study’s findings have implications for mental health professionals and legal professionals working with parents during and following the divorce process.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI's Dissertation Abstracts.