Life stress, maternal optimism, and adolescent competence in single mother, African American families.

Abstract

Although research demonstrates many negative family outcomes associated with single-parent households, little is known about processes that lead to positive outcomes for these families. Using 3 waves of longitudinal data, we examined how maternal dispositional optimism and life stressors are associated with parenting and child outcomes in 394 single mother African American families. Confirming prior research, we found that mothers' childhood adversities, current economic pressure, and internalizing problems were associated with lower levels of maternal warmth and child management and with lower child school competence. Extending previous studies, we found that maternal optimism was a positive resource, predicting lower levels of maternal internalizing symptoms and higher levels of effective child management and moderating the impact of economic stress on maternal internalizing problems. These findings highlight the need for further investigation of processes and resources that promote positive outcomes for African American mother-headed families and single mother families in general.

Protective factors for child development at age 2 in the presence of poor maternal mental health: results from the All Our Babies (AOB) pregnancy cohort

“…Optimism has also been linked to positive parenting practices. 38 These findings, linking maternal optimism to improved coping with stress and effective parenting practices, may help to explain how maternal optimism may play a role in children's behavioural development. Although dispositional optimism is a relatively stable trait, research indicates that, to some extent, optimism can be taught, 39 and therefore early intervention and parenting programmes could include content aimed at cultivating maternal optimism.…”

Contributing Factors to Older Teen Mothers’ Academic Success as Very Young Mothers

“…Moreover, these children have poor educational attainment and are more likely to become incarcerated. However, Taylor (2012) has suggested that more successful teen mothers display dispositional optimism (Taylor, Larson-Rife, Conger, Widaman, & Cutrona, 2010;Taylor et al, 2012).…”

“…These studies identified optimism as an important contributor towards the mothers' ability to adapt and cope with life stressors. Taylor's (2012) research was guided by the Family Stress Model (FSM), a paradigm that examined dispositional optimism as a characteristic that aids in decreasing perceptions of stressors and a mothers' ability to cope (Taylor et al, 2010). Additionally, important to this research is the linkage that early interventions in the mothers' lives may have contributed to the psychological wellbeing of the mothers (Taylor et al,2010;2012).…”

“…Taylor's (2012) research was guided by the Family Stress Model (FSM), a paradigm that examined dispositional optimism as a characteristic that aids in decreasing perceptions of stressors and a mothers' ability to cope (Taylor et al, 2010). Additionally, important to this research is the linkage that early interventions in the mothers' lives may have contributed to the psychological wellbeing of the mothers (Taylor et al,2010;2012). Positive relationships with supports such as teachers, nurses, social workers and other teen mothers influence optimistic views of their future and empower teen mothers to strive for better life outcomes then they have experienced (Perrin & Dorman 2003).…”

Role of social workers to support single mothers: A case study of welfare receivers in Iran

“…Wu and Hart (2002) studied the effects of marital and non-marital union transition on health and reported similar results. Taylor et al (2010) studied life stress, maternal optimism, and adolescent competence in single mother. They emphasized on positive impacts of divorce among women who divorced in African American society and highlighted the need for further studies of processes and resources, which promote positive outcomes for African American mother-headed families and single mother families in general.…”