Low income single parents Annotated Bibliography

Husband, L. N. (1986). A case study of three children from single-parent divorced families (Doctoral dissertation, Drake University).

Doctoral dissertation by Husband (1986) in his doctor dissertation conducted a case study of 3 children from two single-parent divorced families to investigate the home and school behavior patterns of children. The study used a mix of formal and informal observations and structured interviews to gather data on adolescent behaviors living with single parents or whose parents go through divorce. The study found the behaviors of two adolescents as consistent with literature however, these behaviors were associated with their role with parents, their perceptions of divorce, their adjustment and school performance. The behaviors of the later-Latency child that were consistent with the literature were related to the layering response; feelings; mastery by activity and play; anger, fears, and phobias; responsibility for the divorce;  shaken sense of identity; loneliness and loyalty conflicts; somatic symptoms; changes in school performance; changes in the parent-child relationship; and empathy

This study is significant to the research literature on the needs of single parent children in the sense that it provides important findings on the specific reasons associated with the behavioral problems among single parent (divorced) parents. However, the study relies on the observations from very limited number of subjects, hence the results can be considered with limitations.

De Lange, M., Dronkers, J., & Wolbers, M. H. (2014). Single-parent family forms and children’s educational performance in a comparative perspective: effects of school’s share of single-parent families. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 25(3), 329-350.

This source used data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) including information on 209300 students belonging to 11887 schools from 25 different countries. The purpose of this research was to establish the extent to which schools’ context can affect the negative relationship between single parenting and children’s academic performance. The study found that attending a school with majority of children belonging to single-parent families affects the academic performance of all the students, however it specifically shows negative impact on children from single mothers. Interestingly, the study also finds that higher prevalence of single parenthood decreases this negative impact on academic performance with the exception of United States of America.

This study in very significant in the sense that it provides unique insights into the impact of single parenthood on academic performance of not only the single-parents’ children but also on the others.

Campbell, F. A., & Ramey, C. T. (1994). Effects of early intervention on intellectual and academic achievement: a follow‐up study of children from low‐income families. Child development, 65(2), 684-698.

This study presents an analysis of 4-7 years of follow up data of Carolina Abecedarian Project. The project was an experimental study of early childhood intervention for children from low economic background. Children from low economic background were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 interventions; educational treatment from infancy through 3 years of public school, preschool treatment only, primary school treatment only and an untreated control group. The analysis showed that preschool treatment maintained its effects on intellectual abilities and academic achievement through age 12. School-age treatment alone was found to be ineffective while duration of treatment has positive impact on cognitive abilities and academic achievement of students.

The study is very significant to show that children belonging to low income families can excel in academic endeavors if preschool treatment is provided and hence the findings from this source are very significant to the study in this area.

Smith, J. G. (2006). Parental involvement in education among low-income families: A case study. School Community Journal, 16(1), 43.

Smith (2006) conducted a case study based research at a restructured public elementary school in the Pacific North West. The study used qualitative methods to collect data on the impact of parental involvement interventions. An analysis of the case reported that intentional parental involvement improved the interaction and involvement of poor parents in the academic activities of their children. Moreover, these interventions also changed the educators’ perceptions of acceptable parental involvement behaviors. Parents also perceived this practice as beneficial to the students and families. This source emphasizes the parental involvement needs of low economy families.