Socio-Environmental Factors Associated With Lone Parenting Chronically Ill Children

Abstract

This article reports findings from 2 studies assessing the relation between parental perception of “lone” parenting and socioeconomic factors, including low income, perception of child health, and parental emotional distress among parents of chronically ill children. In both studies, parents who considered themselves a lone parent when caring for their ill child had significantly lower incomes and greater distress (i.e., were more likely to score at or above clinical or “case” cutoffs on the Brief Symptom Inventory) than those who considered themselves to be married or partnered. Longitudinal research is needed to determine the impact of lone parenting and low income on parental and child health outcomes over time.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work is supported in part by the Intramural Research Programs of the NIH, National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research and the National Institute of Mental Health. Gift certificates for participants in Study 1 were provided by the Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation.

Notes

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