Single, Low-Income, or Homeless Mothers’ Health and Parenting Problems Annotated Bibliography

Benbow, S., Forchuk, C., Berman, H., Gorlick, C., & Ward-Griffin, C. (2019). Mothering without a home: Internalized impacts of social exclusion. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 51(2), 105-115. Web.

The researchers articulate that homeless mothers experience considerable problems associated with their health and parenting practices. The study utilized critical narrative technique with 41 respondents. The research presented two major themes that include internalized anticipations and control over and above recovering from the limits: sources of flexibility and resistance. Homeless mothers demonstrated increased agency in extant formations of exclusion by working, sometimes fighting untiringly for their children’s welfare, security, housing, and human rights. Their actions depicted strong agency and resistance within the systems of exclusion experienced. To promote their wellbeing, health professionals may support homeless mothers in practices such as the use of strengths-anchored nursing, supporting ideas of good parenting, overcoming stigma, and discovering and eliminating the unsurmountable hindrances encountered within the settings of such populations.

Campbell, M., Thomson, H., Fenton, C., & Gibson, M. (2016). Lone parents, health, wellbeing and welfare to work: a systematic review of qualitative studies. BMC Public Health, 16(1), 1-10. Web.

The researchers assert that single parents and their children suffer poor mental health, which make them experience depression, psychiatric disorders, suicidal ideations, drug abuse, low educational status, and behavioral problems. Single mothers in the United Kingdom have a higher possibility than their partnered counterparts to depict their healthiness as ‘bad’. The experiences may be accredited to high extents of poverty among single mothers. Evaluation of the 4703 recognized papers and value examination led to the application of sixteen studies of welfare to work in the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia with respect to diverse welfare regimes. Welfare to work may caused augmented conflict and decreased management, which may translate to negative influences on mental health. Accessibility of social support alleviates the degree of poor mental health.

Duke, A., & Searby, A. (2019). Mental ill health in homeless women: A review. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 40(7), 605-612. Web.

Duke and Searby (2019) assert that homeless mothers encounter a wide range of mental health concerns that are not experienced by their counterparts who have homes. Moreover, there is an increasing number of the homeless population. Furthermore, homeless women have a higher probability to have liquor and/or other substance use disorders. The researchers offer an all-inclusive assessment of the literature that disclosed that homeless mothers face a broad scope of mental health issues that encompass depression, nervousness, post-traumatic stress disorder, and drug abuse. The study established that some homeless mothers have earlier existing mental health problems that are exacerbated by their present problems while others only develop psychological disorders following destitution. Family violence was discovered to be causal aspect of homelessness.

Greenberg, Z., & Shenaar-Golan, V. (2020). Higher education helps single mothers become effective role models. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 24(2), 115-129. Web.

The researchers asserted that a high proportion of women are not in single-parent situations by choice. The number of distressed single mothers is higher in poor regions when compared to big cities. Additionally, divorce has been established to negatively influence the financial status of females than males. The aim of the researchers was to assess, from children’s viewpoint, the importance of an academic curriculum set to realize the ability of single mothers to address poverty in Northern Israel area. Detailed interviews with children establish outstanding attribute of mothers as role models promoted by their new uniqueness as college scholars. Mothers’ characteristics as college students, proper self-organization, and successful completion of studies lead to the excellence of such parents in the eyes of their children.

Lange, B. C., Dáu, A. L. B., Goldblum, J., Alfano, J., & Smith, M. V. (2017). A mixed methods investigation of the experience of poverty among a population of low-income parenting women. Community mental health journal, 53(7), 832-841. Web.

Mothers have a higher probability than fathers to experience distress occasioned by the shortage of finances. The aim of aim of the researchers was to evaluate the degree of poverty with regard to parenting styles of poor mothers. They also assessed how mothers portray stress aspects associated with poverty and evaluated how socioeconomic status influenced mothers’ parenting behavior. Mothers with training in research techniques carried out surveys to single mothers in societal situations that underscored parenting stressors, psychological welfare, basic requirements, and objectives. The findings of the study were that women recognized financial problems, joblessness, housing, and transportation as main factors of stress that affect parenting approaches. The result merge the inability of a mother to satisfy her basic requirements with the value of parenting while recommending that programs that facilitate childhood development via capacity enhancement should concentrate on basic needs and policies that mitigate poverty. Health professionals might be able to understand the language used by mothers when asking concerning basic needs and establish connections with the earners of basic needs.

Lu, Y. C., Walker, R., Richard, P., & Younis, M. (2020). Inequalities in poverty and income between single mothers and fathers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(1), 1-15. Web.

Lu et al. (2020) affirm that about 30% of children in the United States, nearly 21 million in number, are from single-parent households. The demographic attributes of the approximated population disclosed that taxable earnings, salary, and poverty level were considerably better for single fathers than their female counterparts. Moreover, single mothers had a higher probability of being at a crisis than their male equals. The research established considerable divergences between single fathers and mothers with respect to such factors as taxable income. The findings show that a susceptible fraction of single mothers was identified in line with their income, degree of poverty, and the assessment of revenue and assets may be dependable proof to stakeholders. The authors propose that further research should apply suitable sample sizes and fitting operational forms in the examination of salary and asset possession for single mothers to construe persuasive ideas for policymakers.

McKenzie, H., & McKay, F. H. (2018). Thinking outside the box: Strategies used by low‐income single mothers to make ends meet. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 53(3), 304-319. Web.

The welfare scheme in Australia has experienced variations in the recent past that influence different payment practices, encompassing the qualification of family payments. The qualification for the Parenting Payment Single was altered to make parents ineligible the moment that their last-born children attain eight years of age. The researchers affirm that single-parent households are particularly susceptible to the threats of monetary deficiency and poverty. The recent variations in welfare payment complicates the usually dire monetary position of single-parent families. 23 interviews were undertaken with single mothers with low socioeconomic status who had been withdrawn from the Parenting Payment Single. Attributable to the payment variation and the reduced welfare support, the affected single mothers articulated the need for the establishment of news ways to reimburse their lessened income. McKenzie and McKay (2018) centred on the approaches that low-income single-parent families establish and apply thus highlighting women’s capacity to be ingenious during welfare variations.

Pujar, L., Chanda, K., & Hittalamani, D. D. (2018). Mental health of single parents. Indian Journal of Health and Wellbeing, 9(3), 373-376.

The authors affirm that single parent households could be described as settings where either only the father or mother is available to take care of the children. Some of the factors behind the existence of single parent families encompass demise of either the mother or father, separation, abandonment, or divorce. The objective of the study was to understand the challenges that single parents experience and their impact on mental health. 60 single mothers were randomly selected to form the sample for the study. The research established that about 88% of single parents have poor mental health mainly attributable to their socioeconomic status.

Roze, M., Vandentorren, S., & Melchior, M. (2018). Factors associated with depression among homeless mothers. Results of the ENFAMS survey. Journal of Affective Disorders, 229, 314-321. Web.

The researchers state that homeless mothers experience exceedingly high rates of depression partly associated with psychiatric problems, for example, post-traumatic stress disorder. The objective of the study was to define socio-demographic, lifestyle and housing, medical aspects, and relational factors linked to despair among destitute mothers. The survey was conducted with 733 mothers who represented homeless families. The findings of the study were that homeless mothers show high degrees of depression and other psychiatric disorders. Advancements in the assessment of mental health problems and availability of medical care may assist progress social and health consequences. Rehousing homeless mothers and facilitating their access to medical services may help them recover from poor mental health and restrict negative effects on their children.

Zabkiewicz, D. M., Patterson, M., & Wright, A. (2014). A cross-sectional examination of the mental health of homeless mothers: Does the relationship between mothering and mental health vary by duration of homelessness?BMJ Open, 4(12), 1-8. Web.

Zabkiewicz et al. (2014) affirm that families are presently the quickest rising fragment of the homeless populace in the US. The authors mainly focused on post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol dependence, depression, and drug abuse. Most of the homeless mothers do not live with their children. The mental health problems of homeless mothers are mainly based on deflation of their sentiments of fineness as parents. The aim of the research was to contribute to information regarding the problems that homeless mothers experience through an enhanced comprehension of their parenting roles and mental health. The study found that there is a strong correlation between the homelessness status and the possibility of the mothers to develop poor mental health. Attributable to the numerous challenges that homeless mothers face in attempts to retain their family or bewail loss of their children’s custody, they have a high likelihood of developing mental health problems.