Family structure and children's risk of child protective services re-reports.

BACKGROUND: Single parent families are at higher risk of re-report to Child Protective Services (CPS) than two-parent families. Yet, how single-family homes differ in risk from two-parent families remains under researched. OBJECTIVE: To identify heterogenous patterns of child and caregiver factors among CPS-involved families and the subsequent risk for CPS re-report based on child and family characteristics (i.e., sociodemographic information, family structure, and risk indicators). PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Data were from the 2017 National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System Child File (N = 249,026). METHODS: We conducted latent class analysis (LCA) to identify discrete patterns (i.e., classes) based on child and caregiver risk indicators (e.g., substance use, behavioral health). We then used logistic regression to examine family structure and other family characteristics and CPS indicators predicted CPS re-report for each class. RESULTS: Results yielded five distinct classes: 1) Financial Stressors (25 % of the sample); 2) Caregiver Substance Use (16 %); 3) Complex Household Stressors (3 %); 4) Child Disabilities (4 %); and 5) Minimal Household Stressors (53 %). Family structure was significantly associated with CPS re-reports for Classes 1, 2, and 5. For Class 1, single father families had increased odds of CPS re-report compared to other family structures. For Classes 2 and 5, single father families' odds of CPS re-reports were greater than those of married families, but lower than single mother families. CONCLUSIONS: Children growing up in single father families have different likelihoods of repeat CPS involvement compared to those in single mother and married families. Financial stressors and parental substance use within single father families should be addressed.

[Social situation, health, and health behavior of children and adolescents in one-parent households at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic: Results of the KIDA study 2022-2023]. / Soziale Lage, Gesundheit und Gesundheitsverhalten von Kindern und Jugendlichen in Ein-Eltern-Haushalten zum Ende der COVID-19-Pandemie. Ergebnisse der KIDA-Studie 2022­2023.

INTRODUCTION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, single parents and their children were particularly exposed to stress due to the containment measures and to limited resources. We analyzed differences in the social and health situation of children and adolescents in one-parent households and two-parent households at the end of the pandemic. METHODS: The analysis is based on data from the KIDA study, in which parents of 3­ to 15-year-old children as well as 16- to 17-year-old adolescents were surveyed in 2022/2023 (telephone: n = 6992; online: n = 2896). Prevalences stratified by family type were calculated for the indicators psychosocial stress, social support, health, and health behavior. Poisson regressions were adjusted for gender, age, level of education, and household income. RESULTS: Children and adolescents from one-parent households are more likely to be burdened by financial restrictions, family conflicts, and poor living conditions and receive less school support than peers from two-parent households. They are more likely to have impairments in health as well as increased healthcare needs, and they use psychosocial services more frequently. Furthermore, they are less likely to be active in sports clubs, but they take part in sporting activities at schools as often as minors from two-parent households. The differences are also evident when controlling for income and education. DISCUSSION: Children and adolescents from one-parent households can be reached well through exercise programs in a school setting. Low-threshold offers in daycare centers, schools, and the community should therefore be further expanded. Furthermore, interventions are needed to improve the socioeconomic situation of single parents and their children.

Family structure transitions and educational outcomes: Explaining heterogeneity by parental education in Germany.

Recent research has documented that the effect of parental separation on children's educational outcomes depends on socioeconomic background. Yet, parental separation could lead to a stable single-parent family or to a further transition to a stepfamily. Little is known about how the effect of family structure transitions on educational outcomes depends on the education of parents and stepparents, and there has been limited empirical research into the mechanisms that explain heterogeneity in the effects of family transitions. Using longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel and models with entropy balancing and sibling fixed effects, I explore the heterogeneous effects of family transitions during early and middle childhood on academic secondary school track attendance, grades and aspirations. I find that family transitions only reduce the academic school track attendance among children of less educated parents living in stepfamilies or with a single mother after parental separation, and among children of highly educated fathers living in single-mother families. The mechanisms that partly explain these effects relate to reduced income and exposure to poverty after parental separation. The findings underscore the importance of considering the stepparent's educational level, indicating that the adverse consequences of parental separation on educational outcomes are mitigated when a highly educated stepfather becomes part of the family. Overall, these findings align more closely with the resource perspective than the family stability perspective.

Intergenerational transmission of parental child-rearing gender-role attitudes and its influence on gender roles in single-parent families.

BACKGROUND: The development of children's gender roles in single-parent families is worthy of attention. It may be affected by family members' gender roles and parental child-rearing gender-role attitudes (PCGA). PCGA will form a consistent or inconsistent intergenerational relationship between parents and children. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the intergenerational similarities in gender roles and PCGA. Also, the intergenerational transmission of parental child-rearing gender-role attitudes (ITPCGA) in single-parent families, and the impact of various family factors on children's gender roles were comprehensively considered. METHOD: Participants were 550 single-parent parent-adolescent dyads. The Gender-role Scale and the Parental Child-rearing Gender-role Attitude Scale were used to evaluate participants' gender-role and PCGA. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the intergenerational similarities in gender roles and PCGA, and the influencing family factors of ITPCGA and children's gender roles. RESULTS: The intergenerational similarities of gender role types and PCGA types existed. Both parents' gender roles and family gender pairs affected ITPCGA, father-daughter families and parents' undifferentiated and sex-typed gender roles significantly predicted undesirable ITPCGA. Family gender pair, parent's gender roles and ITPCGA types affected children's gender roles. Undesirable ITPCGA significantly predicted children's undifferentiated gender roles; father-daughter families and mother-son families, parents' undifferentiated and sex-typed gender roles significantly predicted children's sex-typed gender roles, and mother-son families and parents' reversed gender roles significantly predicted children's reversed gender role. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the effects of single-parent family gender pairs and parents' gender roles on ITPCGA, which influences the development of children's gender roles.

Analyzing the Impact of Family Structure Changes on Children's Stress Levels Using a Stress Biomarker.

Changes in family structure (e.g., parental separation or stepfamily formation) are associated with a deterioration in children's well-being. Most researchers have focused on the impact of such changes on children's educational and psychosocial outcomes, whereas the effects on children's biological processes have been studied less often. We analyze the effects of changes in family structure on children's stress levels using data from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents study (2003-2006 and 2014-2017). Our outcome variable is the biomarker c-reactive protein (CRP), which correlates with psychological distress and is collected from blood samples. Calculating first-difference estimators, we analyze whether children have higher CRP levels after changing to (1) single-parent families (n = 117) or (2) stepfamilies (n = 80). Our findings suggest that changing to a single-parent family significantly increases children's stress, whereas changing to a stepfamily does not. These observations are important because increased stress in childhood can negatively affect well-being later in life.

Analyzing Time Use by Occupation Area between Weekdays and Weekends by Gender of Parents in Single-Parent Families.

Introduction: Based on the "2019 Living Time Survey" data conducted by the National Statistical Office, this study is aimed at comparing the time usage of single-parent families by classifying the occupation area based on the fourth edition of the occupational therapy practice framework (OTPF) and dividing time use according to weekdays and weekends and by gender. Methods: After extracting the subjects who were selected belonging to a single-parent family from the original data of the "2019 Living Time Survey," 404 subjects who were single parents were selected, and the data were analysed. The sample consisted of 134 males and 270 females. The time usage by occupation area during weekdays and weekends and according to the gender of the subjects was checked. By using SPSS 25.0 version for data analysis, the general characteristics and time usage of subjects were presented as frequency analysis and technical statistics, and an independent sample t-test was conducted to compare time usage on weekdays and weekends. Results: Subjects spent more time on "education" and "work" on weekdays, and on weekends, they spent more time on "activities of daily living," "rest and sleep," "leisure," and "social participation." After classifying the subjects by gender, men spent more time on "work" on weekdays, and on weekends, they spent more time on "activities of daily living," "rest and sleep," "leisure," and "social participation." Women spent more time on "education" and "work" on weekdays, and on weekends, they spent more time on "rest and sleep," "leisure," and "social participation." Conclusion: By examining the time usage of single-parent families according to the day of the week, we hope that it will be used as basic data to suggest in which areas they have difficulty managing time, depending on the day of the week, and to establish solutions to insufficient time use due to gender differences.

Maternal Distress and Adolescent Mental Health in Poor Chinese Single-Mother Families: Filial Responsibilities-Risks or Buffers?

Single motherhood and poverty have a significant, negative impact on mothers and their children. When their mothers experience maternal distress, adolescent children have to take up more instrumental and emotional filial responsibilities to comfort their mother and adapt to related changes. Based on 325 mother-child dyads of Chinese single-mother families experiencing economic disadvantage, this study examined the relationship between maternal distress and adolescent mental health problems (indexed by anxiety and depression) and the moderating roles of instrumental and emotional filial responsibilities. Results indicated that maternal distress was positively associated with anxiety and depression in adolescent children. In addition, instrumental filial responsibility intensified the associations of maternal distress with adolescent anxiety and depression. Moreover, the moderating role of emotional filial responsibility in the predictive relationship between maternal distress and adolescent anxiety was different in boys and girls. Adolescent girls with more emotional filial responsibility reported higher adolescent anxiety than did those who shouldered less emotional filial responsibility when their mother exhibited more distress, whereas the relationship between maternal distress and adolescent anxiety was stable in boys, regardless of emotional filial responsibility. In short, the present study showed that parentification was likely to occur in poor Chinese single-mother families, and adolescent children who took up a more caregiving role in the family exhibited poorer mental health. Family counselling and tangible support for single-mother families experiencing economic disadvantage are urged.

Mindfulness group intervention improved self-compassion and resilience of children from single-parent families in Tibetan areas.

OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to examine the effects of a mindfulness group intervention on self-compassion, psychological resilience, and mental health of children from single-parent families in Tibetan areas. METHODS: A total of 64 children from single-parent families in Tibetan areas were randomly allocated to a control group (n = 32) and an intervention group (n = 32). Participants in the control group received conventional education, while participants in the intervention group received 6-week mindfulness intervention in addition to the conventional education. Both groups completed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), Self-compassion Scale (SCS), Resilience Scale for Chinese Adolescent (RSCA), and the Mental Health Test (MHT) before and after the intervention. RESULTS: After the intervention, the levels of mindfulness and self-compassion in the intervention group were significantly improved in relative to the control group. The positive cognition in the RSCA was significantly increased in the intervention group, whereas no significant change was observed in the control group. There was a trend towards lower self-blame in the MHT, but no significant impact of the intervention on the overall level of mental health was found. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that a 6-week mindfulness training effectively improve self-compassion and resilience of single-parent children. Thus, mindfulness training as a cost-effective approach can be arranged in the curriculum, which helps students develop high level of self-compassion and resilience. In addition, there may be a need to improve emotional control in order to improve mental health.

Associations between Gendered Family Structures and Adolescent Stress, Loneliness, and Sadness in South Korea.

While a large literature connects family environments characterized by access to two married biological parents to better child mental health outcomes, we know less about the mechanisms linking family structure to mental health outcomes for children living in other family structures. While essentialist theory suggests that access to both male and female parents will be an important determinant of child mental health, some research directly comparing single-mother and single-father families found no difference in child outcomes by parent gender, suggesting evidence for more structural theories of gender. However, most of this research uses data from Western countries and seldom extends to examining mental health outcomes. In this paper, we used data from a large, generalizable survey of Korean adolescents (the 2021 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey) to compare the mental health of children living in families with two married biological parents, single mothers, and single fathers. Our findings underscore the importance of examining family environments in different contexts.

Parenting experiences of single fathers: A meta-synthesis.

Single-parent families led by fathers are an increasing demographic globally, Furthermore, single fatherhood is associated with poorer self-reported health and mental health, lifestyle practices and habits, increased health complications, psychological symptoms, hospital admissions, and higher mortality. However, there is still a dearth of evidence exploring single fathers' experiences. A systematic review and meta-synthesis were conducted using Sandelowski and Barroso's approach. Six electronic databases were searched from each database's inception to December 2021, and 34 studies were included in this review. In total, six themes were synthesized: (i) "Doing it alone": Double the work, stress, and tears; (ii) Beyond ambivalence and towards stability, (iii) Walking into the lion's den; (iv) Education as a foundation for a better future; (v) "Single but not alone": Support systems; (vi) "Reconceptualising my predicament": Double the love and growth. Our findings suggest the need to: help fathers better navigate their relationships with their children and ex-partners, increased awareness and availability of parent-teaching and support programs, and reform guidelines and policies to enable greater participation and involvement of fathers in future judicial systems, and social and public assistance services.

Poder, norma e ideário na lei da alienação parental / Power, norm and ideology in the law of parental alienation / Poder, norma e ideología en la ley de alienación parental

A recomendação ética do psicólogo para intervir criticamente sobre a demanda vai de encontro com a tarefa de diagnosticar atos de Alienação Parental e, num sentido amplo, com a judicialização das relações privadas. A genealogia de Foucault consiste num método capaz de lançar luz sobre as práticas de poder na base dos discursos relacionados ao tema da alienação parental. O eufemismo pedagógico empregado para designar as sanções da lei tem como finalidade estratégica o convencimento a respeito de supostos benefícios da tutela sobre as famílias, ao mesmo tempo em que lhes são atribuídas alguma patologia disfuncional. Numa perspectiva crítica, a assimetria de gêneros corresponde às relações de poder presentes no problema da alienação parental. Por fim, a inversão dos critérios de identificação da alienação parental revela o distanciamento entre o ideal normativo e a realidade da ruptura conjugal e familiar, apontando para a importância de práticas de cuidado e assistência em vez de judicativas e punitivas.(AU)

The psychologist's ethical recommendation to critically intervene on the demand goes against the task of diagnosing acts of Parental Alienation (AP) and, in a broad sense, with the judicialization of private relations. Foucault's genealogy consists of a method able to shed on the power practices on the basis of discourses related to the theme of Parental Alienation. The pedagogical euphemism used to designate the sanctions of the law has the strategic purpose of convincing about the supposed benefits of guardianship over families, while attributing some dysfunctional pathology to them. From a critical perspective, gender asymmetry corresponds to the power relations present in the Parental Alienation problem. Finally, the inversion of the Parental Alienation's identification criteria reveals the gap between the normative ideal and the reality of marital and family disruption, pointing to the importance of care and assistance practices instead of judicative and punitive ones.(AU)

La recomendación ética del psicólogo de intervenir críticamente sobre la demanda va en contra de la tarea de diagnosticar actos de Alienación Parental (AP) y, en un sentido amplio, con la judicialización de las relaciones privadas. La genealogía de Foucault consiste en un método capaz de arrojar luz sobre las prácticas del poder a partir de discursos relacionados con el tema de la Alienación Parental. El eufemismo pedagógico que se utiliza para designar las sanciones de la ley tiene el propósito estratégico de convencer sobre los supuestos beneficios de la tutela sobre las familias, atribuyéndoles alguna patología disfuncional. Desde una perspectiva crítica, la asimetría de género corresponde a las relaciones de poder presentes en el problema de la Alienación Parental. Finalmente, la inversión de los criterios de identificación de la Alienación Parental revela la brecha entre el ideal normativo y la realidad de la ruptura conyugal y familiar, señalando la importancia de las prácticas de cuidado y asistencia en lugar de las judicativas y punitivas.(AU)

Domestic violence against women in the brazilian media: study of social representations / Violencia doméstica contra las mujeres en los medios de comunicación brasileños: estudio de representaciones sociales / Violência doméstica contra as mulheres na mídia brasileira: estudo de representações sociais

This study examined the content published by the newspaper Folha de São Paulo regarding domestic violence before and after Law 11340/06, commonly known as Maria da Penha Law, came into force. A retrospective and comparative documentary research analyzed 3408 news reports published between 1994 and 2018. Divided into two corpora, '12 years before' and '12 years after' the Law, the material was analyzed using the IRaMuTeQ software and Descending Hierarchical Classification. The first corpus included news reports on cases involving celebrities and little about ordinary people. It also covered the feminist struggle to reduce domestic violence, focusing on specialized police stations and shelters. The second corpus included reports on the achievements generated by the Law and its challenges, pointing out the need to regard the law as more than a punitive instrument, addressing its preventive and care spheres. Problematizing how the media discloses such law is paramount, since the content divulged affects the construction of social representations.(AU)

Este artículo tuvo por objetivo identificar el contenido de la violencia doméstica transmitido en el periódico Folha de S. Paulo antes y después de la Ley 11.340/2006 (Ley Maria da Penha). La investigación fue de carácter documental retrospectivo y comparativa, realizada a partir de 3.408 noticias difundidas entre 1994 y 2018. El material se dividió en dos corpus: 12 años antes y 12 años después de la Ley, y se analizó con el software IRaMuTeQ. En el primer corpus, los medios informaron casos de celebridades y poco sobre la gente común. También abordaron la lucha feminista para reducir la violencia doméstica. Como no existe una legislación específica, la atención se centró en estaciones de policía especializadas y refugios. En el segundo corpus, se observaron los logros generados por la Ley y sus desafíos. Se identificó la necesidad de mirar la Ley desde un punto de vista no solo punitivo, sino también abordando las esferas preventivas y de asistencia. Se enfatiza la importancia de problematizar la difusión de la Ley en los medios, ya que los contenidos generalizados afectan la construcción de las representaciones sociales.(AU)

Este artigo pretende identificar o conteúdo sobre violência doméstica difundido no jornal Folha de S. Paulo antes e depois da Lei 11340/06 (Maria da Penha). A pesquisa foi documental, retrospectiva e comparativa; com 3408 reportagens entre 1994 e 2018. O material foi dividido em dois corpora: 12 anos antes e 12 anos depois da lei, e analisado com software IRaMuTeQ. No primeiro corpus, a mídia divulgava casos de celebridades e pouco acerca de pessoas do cotidiano. Também trouxe a luta feminista para diminuir a violência doméstica. Em virtude da então inexistência de uma legislação específica, os destaques eram as delegacias especializadas e as casas abrigo. No segundo corpus, observou-se as conquistas geradas pela lei e seus desafios. Identificou-se a necessidade de olhar para a lei por um viés não apenas punitivista, abordando as esferas preventivas e assistenciais. Destaca-se a importância de problematizar a difusão da lei na mídia, visto que os conteúdos perpassados afetam a construção de representações sociais.(AU)

Out-of-wedlock pregnancy among single mothers in Khartoum, Sudan: sociodemographic characteristics, causes, and consequences

Background: Out-of-wedlock childbearing is a global phenomenon that has lifelong consequences on the lives of both mothers and their children. The aim of this study is to identify the sociodemographic characteristics, causes, and consequences of outof-wedlock pregnancy among single mothers in Khartoum, Sudan. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Mygoma Orphanage Center (MOC) and Shamaa Rehabilitation Center (SRC) using convenience sampling among 200 participants. A validated questionnaire with 25 items was used to collect data. The data were entered into Epi-Data Manager and analyzed using the SPSS. Results: The study found that most of the single mothers in Khartoum who gave birth out of wedlock were young and had just completed their university education. Most of them discovered their pregnancy during the second or third trimester, and nearly half of them did not receive any antenatal care. The majority of the children born to these mothers were preterm and had a low birth weight. Additionally, many mothers reported experiencing social stigma and rejection from their families due to their out-of-wedlock pregnancy. The study also highlighted loneliness, stress, and romantic relations as the main causes of out-of-wedlock pregnancy among single mothers in Khartoum, Sudan Conclusion: The study provides useful insights into the sociodemographic characteristics, causes, and consequences of out-of-wedlock pregnancy among single mothers in Khartoum, Sudan. Social stigma and lack of support were identified as significant barriers to the reintegration of single mothers and their children into society. Future research should focus on investigating the long-term effects of out of-wedlock pregnancy on mothers and their children

A cross-national comparison of the linkages between family structure histories and early adolescent substance use.

Family structure can influence adolescent health with cascading implications into adulthood. Life course theory emphasizes how this phenomenon is dynamic across time, contextualized in policy systems, and grounded in processes of selection and socialization. This study used data from the U.S. (National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 Child and Young Adults, n = 6,236) and U.K. (Millennium Cohort Study, n = 11,095) to examine associations between a single mother family structure between ages 0-14 and early adolescent substance use at age 14 across time and place, using inverse probability of treatment weighting to explore how results varied by selection into family structure. In both countries, single parenthood, regardless of its timing during childhood, consistently predicted adolescent substance use when samples were re-weighted to resemble the overall population. However, when samples were re-weighted so that their background characteristics resembled those of actual single parent families, there was little evidence that single parenting posed risks, suggesting that single parenting might matter less for adolescents who are likely to experience it (and vice versa). In addition, more generous welfare policy in the U.K. than in the U.S. did not appear to have ameliorated the observed role of single parenting in adolescent substance use. Findings supported a model of disadvantage saturation, where single parenting has little additional impact over the myriad other disadvantages that single parent families tend to experience, rather than a model of cumulative disadvantage, where single parenting compounds or adds to other disadvantages. Policy and interventions might more valuably focus on these other disadvantages than on family structure.

Reflexiones sobre el primer caso de triple filiación desde el nacimiento en Argentina. Por qué es importante establecer diferencias con la adopción y la subrogación del embarazo / Reflexions sobre el primer cas de triple filiació des del naixement a l'Argentina. Per què és important establir diferències amb l'adopció i la subrogació de l'embaràs / Reflections on the first case of triple filiation from birth in Argentina. Why it is important to establish differences between adoption and surrogacy of pregnancy

El presente artículo tiene el propósito de reflexionar sobre un reciente caso de triple filiación desde el nacimiento en Argentina que constituye una nueva forma de coparentalidad. Para ello, en primer lugar, realizo una descripción de los hechos y la sentencia. En segundo lugar, refiero que los feminismos y los movimientos por la diversidad han colaborado en comprensiones y prácticas más respetuosas y dinámicas de lainstitución familiar en clara oposición al neoconservadurismo. Luego planteo que la defensa de dicho dinamismo familiar fundado no debiera llevarnos a defender cualquier camino para la consecución del proyecto familiar, puntualmente en el caso de varones solos o en pareja. Por ello, diferencio los modos que usualmente tienen para alcanzar la paternidad con el objetivo de mostrar cómo la coparentalidad y la adopción son moralmente aceptables mientras que la subrogación del embarazo es cuestionable éticamente.(AU)

El present article té el propòsit de reflexionar sobre un recent cas de triple filiació des del naixement a l'Argentina que constitueix una nova forma de coparentalitat. Per a això, en primer lloc, realitzo una descripció dels fets i la sentència. En segon lloc, refereixo que els feminismes i els moviments per la diversitat han col·laborat en comprensions i pràctiques més respectuoses i dinàmiques de la institució familiar en clara oposició al neoconservadurisme. Després plantejo que la defensa d'aquest dinamisme familiar fundat no hagués de portar-nos a defensar qualsevol camí per a la consecució del projecte familiar, puntualment en el cas d'homes sols o en parella. Per això, diferencio les maneres que usualment tenen per a aconseguir la paternitat amb l'objectiu de mostrar com la coparentalitat i l'adopció són moralment acceptables mentre que la subrogació de l'embaràs és qüestionable èticament.(AU)

The purpose of this article is to analyze on a recent case of triple filiation from birth in Argentina, whichconstitutes a new form of co-parenting. In order to do so, firstly, I describe the facts and the judicial sentence. Secondly, I explain that feminisms and diversity movements have collaborated in more respectful and dynamic understandings and practices of the family institution in clear opposition to neoconservatism. Then I argue that the defense of such family dynamism should not lead us to defend any path for the achievement of the family project, especially in the case of single men or couples. Therefore, I differentiate the ways they usually have to achieve parenthood in order to show how co-parenting and adoption are morally acceptable while pregnancy surrogacy is ethically questionable.(AU)

Perceptions of Quality of Life during the Pandemic: A Case Study on B40 Single Mothers.

During the pandemic, the lives of B40 single mothers were severely affected, especially in terms of social, economic, and psychological factors. The reduction of income caused by the crisis has forced single mothers and their children to live frugally and without luxury. They also had to perform more than one job at a time during the pandemic to meet their children's needs. A qualitative study has been conducted to explore the perceptions of quality of life during the pandemic among B40 single mothers. Respondents were selected based on demographic characteristics established before the study. A focus group discussion has been conducted on ten (10) B40 single mothers in Balik Pulau, Penang. Single mothers were selected based on purposive sampling. They had to meet the inclusive criteria required to participate in the study, specifically: aged between 20 and 60 years old, belonged to the B40 income category, had children under 18 years old living together, and became single mothers due to divorce or death of husbands. The focused group discussion explored issues related to qualities of life during the pandemic. B40 single mothers expressed their concern about access to health facilities, security in residence, children's education, and economic stability. These areas of life quality have been significantly affected especially during Movement Control Order (MCO). In short, the quality of life of these single mothers has been significantly affected by the pandemic. Their vulnerability towards stress, anxiety, and depression have worsened due to financial issues. Besides the need for emotional and social support, this study found that these single mothers entail financial support.

Underrepresented Voices: Impacts of Social Determinants of Health on Type 1 Diabetes Family Management in Single-Parent, Black Families.

OBJECTIVES: Social determinants of health (SDOH) impact families' ability to manage chronic illnesses such as type 1 diabetes (T1D). Black, single parents have unique SDOH-related resource needs and concerns when caring for a child with a chronic illness, yet their voices are underrepresented in the pediatric T1D literature. The aim of this qualitative study was to identify and explore the SDOH that influence T1D management in Black, single-parent families. METHODS: In this 2-phase qualitative study we used content analysis to explore themes derived from 3 nominal group technique sessions and semistructured interviews, with 20 self-identified Black, single parents of a child with T1D. RESULTS: Parents encountered various SDOH-related issues that negatively influenced management of their children's T1D. Six major themes emerged from the parent-generated list of SDOH-related barriers: 1) lack of parent and child emotional and physical support systems, 2) maintaining parent and child's physical and mental health, 3) pain management with medication administration, 4) clinical team empathy, 5) provider communication, and 6) economic burden of food costs. CONCLUSIONS: These exploratory findings contribute to the knowledge base required to guide development of culturally relevant, individual- and population-level interventions for racially and compositionally minority families, to increase health equity and address racial health disparities in T1D. Routine assessment of family social support context and resources, better integration of community-level social services into clinical health encounters and clinician bias and communication training are advised starting points to address the specific needs of racial and ethnic minority families experiencing the greatest social and clinical challenges.

The effectiveness of structural family therapy in repairing behavioral problems and improving family functioning in single-parent families in Iran.

Family is foundational to Iranian culture and society and traditional families have been upheld by religious and political institutions since ancient times. However, the incidence of single-parent families in Iran is increasing and literature on treating dysfunction in these families in therapy is lacking. This study examines the effectiveness of structural family therapy (SFT) in addressing problems in family functioning and children's behavior in single-parent Iranian families using a single-case, multiple baseline, ABA design. Participants included five single mothers and their children who received SFT for 8 weeks following a baseline phase. Participants were assessed during the baseline, therapy, and follow-up phases using the Child Behavior Checklist and the Family Assessment Device. The data were analyzed visually and quantitatively. Results indicated that the treatment was effective in decreasing behavior problems and improving family functioning and that treatment effects were statistically significant and stable through the follow-up period. Research and clinical implications and limitations are discussed.