• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.85-94
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• 2022

This study aims to investigate predictors of the subjective well-being of middle-aged single mothers who experienced divorce or bereavement. The study involved 244 divorced or widowed women from the 7th Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families aged 40-60 who had children and were employed. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses were conducted. The research results showed that the socio-demographic characteristic (marital status and health), person-related variables (satisfaction with leisure activity and stress), and work-related variables (job satisfaction and work-family enrichment) were significantly related to happiness of middle-aged single mothers. Current economic status and stress were associated with depression in middle-aged single mothers. Increasing middle-aged single mothers' participation in healthy leisure activities, reducing their stress, and improving their satisfaction with work were found to be important to enhancing their subjective well-being. Regarding the foregoing, policy directions were discussed for middle-aged single mothers' leisure activities, stress management, and improved satisfaction with work.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.181-191
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to examine the social support network for divorced single mother families. The data were gathered through in-depth interviews with seven divorced single mothers who had at least one school-age child. Qualitative analysis of data showed that divorced single mothers evaluated themselves based on other people's perception. There were mainly three different kinds of self-images, which were “a competent divorced woman,” “a bad child to my parents,” and “a socially weak person.” We also found that there were two factors that influenced the everyday lives of single mothers: all of them .;offered hardships in living as a divorced woman with children, and they also had to deal with the weakened solidarity with family of origin, relatives, and neighbors. Single mothers shared common problems yet their lifestyles and adjustment strategies were diverse. Therefore, diverse social welfare policies for education and counseling for single mothers are urgently needed to support and empower divorced single mothers.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.89-105
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• 2009

A family resilience approach aims to identify and fortify key interactional processes that enable families to withstand and rebound from disruptive life challenges. Walsh(1998) described family belief systems, organizational patterns, and communication processes as the three main keys of family resilience. The purpose of this study was to identify the three key factors of family resilience in case of divorced female single-parent families in Korea. The study participants were seven divorced mothers who were living in the institutional facility for female single-parent families. Using a qualitative approach, in-depth interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim for analysis. The study findings were as follows. First, the participants showed positive thinking rather than fear about the adversity induced by the divorce. They also showed the senses of competence, control, and self-esteem. However, the senses of transcendence and spirituality were barely evident. Second, emotional and economic supports from parents, brothers and sisters, and community networks (i.e., mother-child protection institution, healthy family support center) enhanced the family resilience of the participants. Third, the participants showed clear communication, open emotional expression, and shared decision making. This study suggests that more counseling services and parent education be provided by healthy family support center and institutional facilities as important family resilience factors for divorced female single-parent families who are below the poverty line.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.21-46
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to discover how therapeutic music making affects the way of communications in single-parent families. To do this, the study conducted a therapeutic music making program in two families consisting of a mother and a child. Songwriting, Ostinato-creating, improvisation imitation, and ensemble were used as musical interventions. The results of this study are following. First, the participant group B improved from 59 to 69.5 point after the program. However, the group A decreased from 81 to 75.5 point mainly due to frequent absences, differences in applying music. Second, the analysis of the results of verbal, nonverbal and musical responses from the program suggests that the group B gradually improved functional communications as each session develops. For the case of group A, at the initial stage, dysfunctional communications in verbal and nonverbal ones could be found. After the eighth session however, functional communications had increased. The result of the study shows that overall therapeutic music making has been an effective musical intervention in improving communication in single-parent families.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.59-75
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• 2013

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how divorced mothers had decided to take custody of their children and became single mothers. The experiences of their lives after divorce were also explored. Data were collected from 17 Korean divorced mothers who were divorced between 2004 and 2009, and were raising at least one minor child. The data were analyzed based on the phenomenological data analysis method. Three main themes were identified: (a) reasons for deciding to have physical custody of the children, (b) mothers' experiences of adjustment after divorce, and (c) mothers' need for a policy concerning the well-being of their families. According to the divorced mothers, they decided to have physical custody of the children since they believed raising children was their natural duty of mothers or they were the most appropriate ones to raise the children rather than the fathers. While the mothers were satisfied with their lives after divorce in general, they also experienced difficulties including child care and financial strain. In particular, most mothers experienced work-family conflict related to the lack of reliable child care. When their family lives and work lives collided, the mothers put their children first and chose jobs that helped them take care of their children at the same time. The divorced single mothers hoped that the social safety net for single parents would expand to support their independence. Implications for single-parent policy are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.159-193
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• 2018

This study aims to examine life experiences of single mothers according to three types of single parent families, divorced, widowed and unmarried and how they cope with their difficulties to become self-reliant and to identify strengths promoting self-reliance. The researchers analyzed personal, environmental and life factors by using the strengths perspective and discovered distinctive features of three types of single mothers that promote self-reliance. Data were collected by in-depth interviews with 20 single mothers, 4 widows, 8 divorced mothers and 8 unmarried single mothers. The results show that participants defined their experiences of self-reliance as a process to increase capability to accomplish their responsibilities as a mother, rather than as a completed goal. Increasing capability not only means achieving economic self-sufficiency, but also gaining psychosocial strengths that are developed by embracing one's own life, having sense of control and empowerment. This study identified commonalities and differences of strengths and resources and unique experiences of participants and proposed implications for policy and practice related to the roles of service delivery and support system.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.603-612
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• 2013

With the increase of single-parent families in the Korean society, the perception of the function and structure of the family is changing. Thus, a public transition toward embracing single-parent families as another form of family is necessary. This study focuses on the families of divorced female single-parents using Walsh's family resilience framework with a strengths-based perspective. It aims to provide the basic data necessary for deducing policy-related and practical ways of supporting the families and for developing programs that help divorced female single-parent families maintain and reinforce resilience. Qualitative analysis was used as the research method. A preceding literature review was also carried out to collect data. The major findings of this study include the following: First, it was found that the average age of divorce is around 30-40, with children of school age. The mothers' level of education was relatively high, ranging from high school graduates to graduate school students. On Rothwell and Cohen's happiness scale, their objective level of happiness was higher (74.1) than that of the average Korean (64). Second, it was found they were very careful to avoid violence in everyday life as an after-effect of domestic violence, which was the major cause of their divorce. Third, their positive and optimistic attitudes about life even in adversity can be interpreted as Walsh's belief systems taking a more important role among other characteristics of family resilience.