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Does financial hardship account for elevated psychological distress in lone mothers?

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  • Hope, Steven
  • Power, Chris
  • Rodgers, Bryan

Abstract

Lone mothers have been shown to have higher levels of psychological distress than married mothers, but it is not clear how this difference arises. Using data from the 1958 British birth cohort followed to age 33, we investigated alternative explanations for the excess distress of lone mothers. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios for distress (measured using the Malaise Inventory) in lone vs married mothers. Odds ratios were adjusted to assess the contribution of explanatory factors. At age 33, psychological distress was greater among lone than married mothers (OR 2.59, 95% CI 1.97, 3.41). The odds ratio decreased to 1.43 (95% CI 1.02, 2.01) after adjustment for all explanatory factors (prior psychological distress, age of youngest child and number of children in the household, and contemporary measures of financial hardship, employment, and social support). Attenuation of the odds ratio was most marked after taking account of financial hardship. Psychological distress was greater among divorced mothers than never married mothers, though not significantly (OR=1.70, 95% CI 0.88, 3.28). This difference was not explained by the factors examined, and was not due to the immediate distress associated with a recent divorce. Elevated psychological distress of lone mothers appears to be related to financial hardship, while other explanations, including social support and selection, have a more modest impact. Not all of the elevated psychological distress among lone mothers was accounted for, particularly among divorced lone mothers.

Suggested Citation

  • Hope, Steven & Power, Chris & Rodgers, Bryan, 1999. "Does financial hardship account for elevated psychological distress in lone mothers?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 49(12), pages 1637-1649, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:49:y:1999:i:12:p:1637-1649
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    1. Fritzell, Sara & Burstrom, Bo, 2006. "Economic strain and self-rated health among lone and couple mothers in Sweden during the 1990s compared to the 1980s," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(2-3), pages 253-264, December.
    2. Ágnes Utasi, 2003. "Independet, never married people in their thirties: Remaining single," Demográfia English Edition, Hungarian Demographic Research Institute, vol. 48(5), pages 122-143.
    3. McMunn, Anne & Bartley, Mel & Kuh, Diana, 2006. "Women's health in mid-life: Life course social roles and agency as quality," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(6), pages 1561-1572, September.
    4. Rahkonen, Ossi & Laaksonen, Mikko & Karvonen, Sakari, 2005. "The contribution of lone parenthood and economic difficulties to smoking," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 211-216, July.
    5. McGovern, Mark E. & Rokicki, Slawa & Reichman, Nancy E., 2022. "Maternal depression and economic well-being: A quasi-experimental approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 305(C).
    6. Karen van Hedel & Heta Moustgaard & Mikko Myrskylä & Pekka Martikainen, 2021. "Work-family typologies and mental health among women in early working ages," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2021-015, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    7. Fritzell, Sara & Ringbäck Weitoft, Gunilla & Fritzell, Johan & Burström, Bo, 2007. "From macro to micro: The health of Swedish lone mothers during changing economic and social circumstances," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(12), pages 2474-2488, December.
    8. Paul Gregg & Susan Harkness & Sarah Smith, 2009. "Welfare Reform and Lone Parents in the UK," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 119(535), pages 38-65, February.
    9. Frederick J. Zimmerman & Wayne Katon, 2005. "Socioeconomic status, depression disparities, and financial strain: what lies behind the income‐depression relationship?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 14(12), pages 1197-1215, December.
    10. McDonough, Peggy & Sacker, Amanda & Wiggins, Richard D., 2005. "Time on my side? Life course trajectories of poverty and health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(8), pages 1795-1808, October.
    11. Berry, Helen Louise & Rodgers, Bryan & Dear, Keith B.G., 2007. "Preliminary development and validation of an Australian community participation questionnaire: Types of participation and associations with distress in a coastal community," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 64(8), pages 1719-1737, April.
    12. Bramesfeld, Anke & Platt, Lisa & Schwartz, Friedrich Wilhelm, 2006. "Possibilities for intervention in adolescents' and young adults' depression from a public health perspective," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(2-3), pages 121-131, December.
    13. Susan Harkness, 2016. "The Effect of Employment on the Mental Health of Lone Mothers in the UK Before and After New Labour’s Welfare Reforms," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 128(2), pages 763-791, September.
    14. Peter Butterworth & Timothy Crosier, 2004. "Mental Health Problems, disability and income support receipt: a replication and extension using the HILDA Survey," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 7(2), pages 151-174, June.
    15. Mervin, Merehau Cindy & Frijters, Paul, 2014. "Is shared misery double misery?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 68-77.
    16. Irina Grafova, 2011. "Financial Strain and Smoking," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 327-340, June.
    17. Mohammad Siahpush & Raees A. Shaikh & Melissa Tibbits & Terry T-K Huang & Gopal K. Singh, 2013. "The Association of Lone-Motherhood with Smoking Cessation and Relapse: Prospective Results from an Australian National Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-14, July.
    18. Anna Baranowska-Rataj & Anna Matysiak & Monika Mynarska, 2012. "Does Lone Motherhood Decrease Women’s Subjective Well-Being? Evidence from Qualitative and Quantitative Research," Working Papers 48, Institute of Statistics and Demography, Warsaw School of Economics.
    19. Anna Baranowska-Rataj & Anna Matysiak & Monika Mynarska, 2014. "Does Lone Motherhood Decrease Women’s Happiness? Evidence from Qualitative and Quantitative Research," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(6), pages 1457-1477, December.

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