• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.40
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• pp.5-37
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to find out some characteristics of the family functions of single mothers to provide some useful data for the development of programs which may help single mothers to improve their family functions. The McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD) which is composed of problem solving function (PS), communication function (CF), role function (RC), emotional reaction function (ER), emotional involvement (EI), behavioral control function (BC), and general function (GC) and McCubbins' FSI were administered to single mothers and their adolescent children and mothers and their adolescent children of ordinary families (control family). The single mothers' perception of their family function was lower than that of control family mothers in an the 7 categories of FAD. The perceptions of the family function of the single mothers' children were lower than those of control family mothers' children. There was on significant difference between the perceptions of single mothers and their children in PS, ER, EI, GC of their family. However, single mothers' perception in RC and BC was lower than that of their children, and the children's perception in CF were lower than that of their mothers. Single mothers who fall on the period of single motherhood was shorter than 7 years perceived their families' function as lower than that of single mothers' who fall on the periods of single motherhood longer than 7 years in all categories. Generally speaking, the single mothers' family functions were lower than that of control family. The different characteristics of each single mother's family functions should be considered in developing programs for single mothers.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.211-228
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• 1997

The purposes of this article were to find the general trends of single mothers and their children's stress family resources and coping to estimate the correlation among variables and to analyze the effects of related variables family resources influencing coping and stress. The data were analyzed from the 566 single mothers and their children living in Kwang-ju. The major findings were as follow; 1. Scores of single mothers' and their children's stress family resources were lower than median. But scores of single mothers' coping were higher than median. Their problem-solving coping were higher than emotional coping. 2. Widowed single mothers' stress were related to family resources and emotional coping. Divorced single mothers' stress were related to emotional coping. Children's stress were related to emotional coping. Single mother's stress coping were related to stress of children. 3. Single mothers' coping were influenced by financial well-being family strength I and family strength II. Children's coping were influenced by number of friend. Single mothers' stress were influenced by education financial well-being. Children's stress were influenced by their mothers' education friendship satisfaction and school achievement satisfaction.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.507-519
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to explore the general trends and the correlations of parent-child conflicts, copings, and psychological well-being of single mothers and their children, and to analyze the variables explaining relationships between single mothers and their children. The subjects were 196 dyads of single mothers and their children who reside in Gwangju city and Jeonnam area. The data were analyzed with frequency, t-Test, Pearsons' r, and multiple regression by SPSS. The major findings are as follows: 1. Scores of single mothers and their children had conflicts and emotion-focused copings lower than median. Another scores of single mothers and their children had significantly higher problem solving focused copings and emotion-focused copings than their children except life satisfaction; 2. Conflicts, copings, life satisfaction, and depression of a single mother were positively related to those of children; 3. Life satisfaction of single mothers depends on the reason for spouse-loss, their own education background, and problem solving-focused copings. Also, that of children depends on problem solving-focused copings, mother-child conflicts, and the mothers' education. Depression of single mothers is dependent upon mother-child conflicts, emotion-focused copings, and mothers' education. Also, that of children is upon mother-child conflicts, emotion-focused copings, mothers' education, and problem solving-focused copings.

• 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.

• 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 the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.19-34
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• 1998

The purposes of this article were to find the general trends of single mothers' stressor, self-esteem, family resources, coping, stress and psychological well-being, and to test a causal model of family resources, coping and stress influencing on psychological well-being. The data were analyzed from the 283 single mothers living in Kwang-ju. The major findings were as follows; 1. Scores of single mothers' stress, family resources were lower than median. But scores of single mothers' stressor, self-esteem, coping, life satisfaction and depression were higher than median. Their problem-focused coping scores were higher than emotion-focused coping. 2. Single mothers' life satisfaction were directly affected by self-esteem, family resources, problem-focused coping and stress, and were indirectly affected by stressor, emotion-focused coping. Single mothers' depression were directly influenced by self-esteem, family resources, emotion-focused coping, problem-focused coping and stress, and were indirectly influenced by stressor.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.107-124
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• 1998

The purposes of this study were to find the general trends of single mothers' and adoescents' family resources stress perceptions coping and psychological well-being to examine the differences and correlations among single mothers' and their adolescents' variables and to analyze the effects of socio-demographic variables and family stress influencing psychological well-being. The subjects were the 568 single mothers and their adolescents living in Kwangju. The major findings were as follows; 1. Scores of single mothers' and their adolescents' family resources stress perceptions were lower than median but their stressors problem solving-focused coping life satisfaction and depression were higher than median. Single mothers' stressors coping stress perceptions were significantly higher than their adolescents' 2. Single mothers' family rsources stressors stress perceptions coping life satisfaction and depression were positively related to adolescents' 3. Single mother family's l fe satisfaction were influenced by stress perceptions problem solving-focused coping family strengths. Single mother family's depression were influenced by stress perceptions emotion-focused coping.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.43 no.1 s.203
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• pp.129-144
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• 2005

The purposes of this study were to find the general trends and differences factors influencing single mothers' psychological well-being, and, analyze the effects of family, and social variables on their psychological well-being. The subjects were the 284 single mothers living in Kwangju and Chonnam. The data were analyzed with frequency, t, F, and Pearson's r test, and by multiple regression using SPSS. The major findings were as follows: 1. Single mothers' family variables were lower than the median, but instrumental support was higher than emotional support. Single mothers' psychological well-being was found to be around that of the median value. 2. Single mothers' psychological well-being was significantly different from family stress, family resources, mother-child conflicts, income, emotional support, participation of education program, and institutional support. 3. Life satisfaction of single mothers was influenced by institutional support, family stress, family resources, and emotional support. Depression among single mothers was influenced by family stress, family resources, mother-child conflicts, and institutional and emotional support.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.11-22
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• 1998

Social support may be a crucial aspect in single mothers' adjustment from the loss of spouse. Using a survey data collected from 285 widowed or divorced mothers, this study investigated whether social support buffers the deleterious effects of stress on psychological adjustment among poor single mothers. Results revealed that social support is not provided for at a desirable level. After controlling the single mothers' characteristics, stress in daily life, emotional support, job status and child relationship were associated with depression of them. It was also founded that emotional support buffer the negative effect of stress on depression of single mothers. Therefore, the support programs focused on emotional support are necessary for single mothers to enhance their mental health.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 1998

Coping resources may be a crucial aspect in single mothers' and their childrens' adjustment. Using a survey data collected from 275 pairs of single mothers and their children, this study investigated the perceived effects of economic resoures, family relational resources, and social support on positive changes of both mothers and their children. Results revealed that both mothers and their children perceived positive changes of themselves and their children(mothers) relatively high. The degrees of positive changes of mothers were influenced mostly by family relational resources. In the same token, the degrees of positive changes of children were also affected by family relational resources. Overall, the findings suggested the importance of relational resources in explaining the positive changes of single mothers and their children.