One-parent families: single-mother in the literature

Abstract

The proportion of one-parent families, especially those involving single mothers, has been increasing in western societies, and constitutes a significant change in the family system. Single mothers’ families have been indicated as demanding adaptive resources due to aspects such as paternal absence considered as important for child development. In that sense, the present article aims to show the eventual implications of being a single mother. It also highlights the way this family configuration has been approached by the national and international literature. Studies have shown that the child can grow without major difficulties in single mothers’ homes, but in opposition to these, expressive part of the literature points to the negative implications of these configurations, especially considering their socio-demographic, psychological and social characteristics. In spite of the inconsistency of the findings, it is possible to think that father’s absence may be compensated by mothers’ dedication or by other factors, such as the received social support.