Yes, She Can: An Examination of Resiliency Factors in Middle- and Upper-Income Single Mothers

Abstract

This study explored resiliency factors in middle- and upper-income single mothers, a subset of single parents representing 73% of single mothers in the United States. The study used demographic information and the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD–RISC) to examine if income, education level, or type of marital status is related to resiliency factors among single mothers. An analysis of variance was conducted to compare group differences among income levels, education levels, and types of marital status with resiliency scores. Results revealed that the middle- and upper-income single mothers were generally resilient. A descriptive analysis of descending means revealed five resiliency factors on the CD–RISC that were most strongly rated, four of which relate to personal competence and tenacity. Implications for clinical practice and recommendations for future research to expand the body of research on single mothers were included in this study.

Keywords:

• education
• income
• marital status
• resiliency
• single mother