SINGLE

PARENTING

NAME: GIAN MORRISON
CANDIDATE NO-: 1001540724
SCHOOL CENTER NO-: 100154
SUBJECT: SOCIOLOGY
TEACHER: MS. COLLINS

INTRODUCTION

Background
The impact of single parenting on family functions in the community of Spring Vale.

Definition of research problem
Throughout the Caribbean exist a wide variety of family types but the researcher has opted to state the specific issue; here within the community of Spring Vale Bog Walk St.Catherine, lies 1/3 of the family population being single parented with majority of the absent spouse being fathers. While doing the investigation the researcher noticed that majority of the families were dysfunctional. When questioned, the families were faced with financial, emotional and mental difficulties. A high percentage of the homes were lack of discipline now it was understood by the researcher why there were violent behaviors being displayed on a day to day basis by some of the children from the area. Base on investigations and observations the researcher then asked the questions, is it because of the absence of fathers why children behave in such a violent manner? Or is it because the children are not getting enough attention and their needs and wants are hardly being met why they behave in such a manner, thus the researcher decided to carry out an research that would determine the impact of single parenting on family functions.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

Aim:
To investigate the impact of single parenting on family functions

Objectives:

* Find out the causes of single parenting * To find out the challenges faced by single parent and the impact it creates on family functions and children. * To educate single parent residents as well as the readers on the impact of single parenting on family function and on children. * To draft possible long term solutions for the problem of single parenting in the community of Spring Vale.

LITERATURE REVIEW

The family, in all its form is the pivotal institution in any society which exists in different forms expanding across; you have the extended, nuclear and single parented family etc. A single parent is a person bringing up a child or children without a partner as defined by the Oxford Dictionary.
When the family functions well and performs its socializing, reproductive and economic role adequately, society as a whole is more cohesive. When a family is dysfunctional it cannot operates properly thus individual and society faces certain consequences. In accordance with the writings of Paul R. Amato from the journal writing The Future of Children Princeton. Bookings, in brief makes clear that the function of Single Parent is to adapt the role of a mother and father in order provide economically, socially and emotionally for the child/children, in order for support and assistance role; children coming from these families, hardly have their needs being met.
Researchers have several theories to explain the cause as to why children grow up under the supervision of a single parent. According to UNICEF Jamaica and Parenting they states that one of the cause to single parenting is that most children are born while their parents are in common-law relationship, but nearly half of these relationships have ended by the time child is five or six years old due to separation. With reference from Victoria McGrath an eHow contributing writer, states other contributing factor to the cause of single parenting could be the sudden death of a spouse, an unexpected baby or primary custody after divorce.
From the Gleaner News-Jamaica Published: Sunday|April ,2011 Under The Topic Too Many Single Parents With Dr.Ralph Williams,Veteran Educator and Education advocate, addressing the problem pronounced, single parented family have replaced the original family(nuclear) which increase the likelihood of household to be faced with specific social and economic challenge for both parent and children. Low academic performance, school disciplinary problems, and low occupational attainment are all accompanied by the single parenting strategy due to the lack of support and assistance. Also as reported by Princeton Sociologist, Sara McLanahan, manifest that a number of internalizing problem behaviors, including sadness and depression, delinquency, aggression, teen pregnancy, poor socialization as well as low self esteem results to the absence of fathers from the homes.
The encouragement of nuclear family as it hails as an anti-poverty program as well as the only reliable route to children’s success and emotional well-being as written by Arlene Skolink(article politics of the family). This would be the long term solution recommend to the Spring Vale community, Jamaica and the Caribbean at large.

RESEARCH DESIGN PLAN

In order to obtain data for the completion of this research, primary sources will be used. Questionnaires will be used for the quantitative method of study. This method was chosen as it can be used to collect large quantities of data and is quick and effective. It covers a large sample area in a short time and it also allows data received to be sorted and summarized quickly for report and analysis.
Another method will also be applied by the researcher; this is called the qualitative method. This method involves the use of conducting an unstructured interview for some of the single parents. The reason for the use of the interview is to get relevant information from more knowledgeable and older single parents.
The research will be conducted in the parish of Saint Catherine, Jamaica in the month of January 2014 at the Spring Vale, Bog Walk community. Those being surveyed all have to be single parented households. The candidates for the survey are required to be nineteen and older but no preference of gender will be given. The responses will then be collected and tabulated in this research, using graphs and other charts, so as to analyze and better understand the answers to the research questions.

RESEARCH DESIGN PLAN

Sociological perspective The researcher used the qualitative and quantitative method to obtain information base on the research studied. Quantitative research method is usually associated with positivism and in this research; data usually comes in the form of statistic or number. The sociologist highly regarded with this data collection method is Emile Durkheim who believed that human beings is controlled in the same way that matter is constrained by laws in nature thus he came up with the scientific method to study human behavior and say it is quantifiable. The main types of quantitative methods are questionnaires, structured interviews and official statistics. These research methods collects standard data, data is easily quantify; saves the researcher time and money and the validity of collecting data is enhanced.
Qualitative research (generally associated with interpretivism) collects subjective data such as information about people’s emotions, feelings and values. The researcher usually interacts directly with the respondents (that is, face-face) or by actually joining their everyday activities. The sociologist regarded with the method is Max Weber. He believed in the principle that aspects of human behavior could not be measured like the positivist view because positivism does not measure emotions and feelings thus Weber was concerned with feelings and emotions of humans and He focused His study on human behavior in society. Qualitative comes in the form of unstructured interviews, participant observation, case studies and documents.
RESEARCH DESIGN PLAN

The sample selection of subjects to be studied

The sample selection used by the researcher was the quota sampling. This was used because it saves the researcher much time and no sampling frame is needed. The questions asked were through interview and questionnaires.
Research aim: To investigate the impact of single parenting on family functions. 1. The sample: 30 single parents 2. Procedure: The researcher went into the community of Spring Vale Bog Walk St.Catherine and gave 30 questionnaires to 30 sample unit from the sample drawn. A 6 minute interview was also carried out with 5 sample unit.
This sample selection was used because the questionnaires and interviews could not be randomly distributed and asked because of the particular theory the researcher wishes to test.

Data collection tool
SAMPLE OF QUESTIONNAIRE

INSTRUCTION: Please place a tick( ) beside the correct option and explain where necessary
1.What is your gender?
Male[ ] Female[ ]
2.What is your age group?
19-30[ ] 31-45[ ] 45 and over[ ]
3.How many child/children do you have?
1-5[ ] 6 and 0ver[ ]
4. What is the reason for you being a single parent?
Divorce [ ] Death of a spouse [ ]
Separation [ ]
If other please state___________________________________________________
5. Do you get support from your spouse?
Yes [ ] No [ ]
Sometimes [ ]
What is your occupation?
Vendor [ ] Farmer [ ] Nurse [ ] Other [ ]
6. How many days of the week do you work?
1day [ ] 2days [ ] 3-7 days [ ]
7. How would describe the job/role of being a single parent?
Easy [ ] Challenging [ ]
If other(s) please state_______________________________________________
8. How long have you been a single parent?
1-30 years [ ] 40-50 years [ ]
50 and over [ ]
9. What are the likely problems you face as a single parent?
Financial problem [ ] Emotional problem [ ] Socialization problem [ ]
All of the above [ ] Other [ ]
10.Do you think in facing any of the problems above impact on the function of the family?
Yes [ ] No [ ] Sometimes [ ]
To some extent [ ]
11. Do you think the problems you face impact negatively on your child/children such as aggression build up etc…
Yes [ ] No [ ] Sometimes [ ] to some extent [ ]
12.How do your overcome your problems?
Taking it out on the children [ ] Seek counseling[ ]
All of the above [ ]
If other please state___________________________________________
Lack of attention[ ] Less time at home[ ]
13.What role does your child/children play when you’re not home?
The role of the parent[ ] Older sibling[ ] Both[ ]
None of the above[ ]
14.Which of the family function is carried out best?
Reproduction [ ] Socialization [ ] Economical role [ ]
Non-of the above [ ]
15 What are the likely solutions to mitigate problems you face that impact on the function of your family
Married/Remarried [ ] Work less and spend more time with your child/children [ ]
Encourage support from both spouse [ ]
Educate parents on the effect of single parenting on family function and children [ ]

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

* What are the challenges you face as a single parent? * How many child/children do you have? * What are the challenges the children face under the single parented family? * Are you able to carry out all the family functions such as the economic role, socialization and reproductive role on your own? * What are some of the activities your child/children engage in when their needs and or wants are not met? * Do you think the family function is affected as a result of you being a single parent? * Do you get support from your spouse? * What would be your likely solution to mitigate the single parenting in the community of Spring Vale?

QUESTION 1& 2
Age groups and genders that participated in the survey

GENDER | PERCENTAGE | MALE | 3% | FEMALE | 97% | AGE GROUP FOR RESPONDENTS | | 19-30 | 80% | 31-45 | 15% | 45 and over | 5% |

FIGURE 1
Table showing the various age groups of the respondents and the genders that were involved in the survey.

QUESTION 4
What is the reason for you being a single parent?

FIGURE 2 The above bar graph shows the reasons to why some of the respondents are single parents.

QUESTION 5 Do you get support from your spouse?

FIGURE 3 The pie chart being displayed above shows the respondents that get support from their spouse.

QUESTION 9
What are the likely problems you face as a single parent?

FIGURE 4 The above column shows the problems faced by single parenting.

QUESTION 10 Do you think the problem your facing impact on the family function?

FIGURE 5 The column shows the impact of single parenting problem on family functions.

QUESTION 12

How single parents overcome their problems?

FIGURE 6 The pie chart shows how parents overcome their problems.

QUESTION 14
Which of the family function is carried out best?

FIGURE 7 The above column reveals the family functions carried out best.

QUESTION 15 The likely solutions to mitigate the problem

FIGURE 8 The pie chart reveals the residents response in regards to the likely solutions to mitigate the problem of single parenting.

ANALYSIS OF DATA The findings of the result were drafted based on the resident’s response to the questionnaire. The table in fig.1 showed the gender to which the respondents being single parent belong. 3% of the respondents were male while the other 97% were observed to be female also the table showed the relationship between the percentage and the age group of the respondents with 16-30 being 80%, 31-45 carrying a per cent of 15 and for 45 and over they had a per cent of 5. Then from figure 2 showed that 85% of the respondents become single parents because of separation,5% were due to the death while the other 10 was as result of divorce. According to figure 3 35% of the respondents clarified that they get support from their spouse while 15% get support sometimes and the other 50% does not get any support, also. The response to the question, represented by figure 4 showed that 82% of the single parents faced financial problem, 1% faced socialization problem, 14% faced emotional problem, 2% agreed with all the options and 1% stated that they faced other problems than those. Moving over to figure 5, it revealed 50% of the respondents saying the problems they face affects family function while 5% said no, 25% saying sometimes and 20% said to an extent. In relation to figure 6, 80% of the respondents solve their problem by taking it out on their children while 20% seek counseling. With reference to figure 7, 75% of the respondents believe that none of the family functions are carried out best in the single parented family while 15% believes that the economic and social role is carried out best and 5% believes that the socialization role is carried out best. In response to the mitigation of the problem 80% of the respondents stated that they should get support from their spouse, 5% believe in marriage/remarried and working less while the next 10% believe in other measures not stated by the researcher. DISCUSSION OF DATA The aim of the research was to determine the impact of single parenting on family function in the community of Spring Vale. The researcher employed the quantitative method being that it could cover the sample wanting to be studied with standardize data. The aim was achieved when the respondents from the community clearly states that the family functions are hardly carried out due to one spouse having all the work at hand. Majority of the respondents stated that none of the family functions are carried out to the best of their ability. In brief the literature review makes it clear that the function of Single Parent is to adapt the role of a mother and father thus the function of the family is impeded and society cannot work cohesive while the researcher only see the impact of single parenting impact on family function in a small scope. The first objective, finding out the cause of single parenting was achieved from the sample being draw. From the research carried out in the community, the researcher saw that 11/3 of the community population replaced the original family(nuclear) resulting in single parented households caused by separation being the majority (85% of the population) and divorce and death being the minority. According to UNICEF and Victoria McGrath (from literature review) single parenting is also caused by separation, death and divorce which deviate from the original (nuclear). These researchers look at the cause of single parenting in the Jamaican society which may suggest that they viewed the cause from a wide scope but the researcher looked at single parenting in a community which limits the researcher to see if separation is one of the main driver of separation in the Jamaican society, thus it can only be said by the researcher that separation is one of the main cause of single parenting in the community because of the small scope used by the researcher. With the second objective in mind; finding out the challenges single parents face and the impact it creates on family functions and children showed that single parents were plagued with problems such as financial problems being the majority, emotional and socialization problems minority. Also from findings within the community, these problems pose a threat to the family function causing it to be dysfunction because the parent has to perform both functions of the spouse in order to meet the needs of the children. This leads to depression in the children and low academic performances as stated in the interview with. With reference from the literature review it does show that these problems are associated with a single parented family and it and it also cause dysfunctions because the family functions are not carried out properly. The literature review also showed that because of the absence of one of the spouse especially the father; delinquency, teenage pregnancy and other behavioral problems that are not accepted by society is displayed. The researcher was therefore limit to these behavioral problems as they weren’t observed within the scope of study (community) but because of the large scope employed by the other researchers they were able to observe other behaviors displayed by children in the wider society. When the researcher asked the respondents what should be done to mitigate the problem of single parenting, many respondents suggest support from spouse and a few suggest that nuclear family should be enforced but from the literature review nuclear family type was encouraged as it serves as a mean to reduce the problems face by children and parents and also it would carry out the family function to the best of its ability. With comparison to the findings in the community it only serve for a sample and that of the literature review its serves for a population. BIBLOGRAPHY Mus