Parents Under Stress: Perspectives on Economic Barriers and Solutions to Self-Sufficiency
Family fragility, especially among unmarried, impoverished parents is of concern to policymakers, researchers, and practitioners involved with promoting family stability and positive outcomes for children. Federal initiatives such as the Welfare-to-Work Program and the Healthy Marriage Initiative are examples of the diverse approaches taken to achieve the same aims -- fostering economic mobility and intact families. Research shows that relationship quality and economic resources are strongly linked and are important predictors of union stability. Furthermore, fathers’ employment is the strongest predictor of relationship outcomes and fatherhood engagement when parents are no longer together.
Between 2007 and 2011, 726 low-income, expecting and new parents participated in a relationship strengthening program with a manualized group approach focusing on communication skills supplemented with wrap-around services. While beneficial treatment effects were found on six of ten critical outcomes, parents continued to experience chronic economic stress and express concerns about relationship viability. Given the crucial nature of economic resources to family stability, the intervention study expanded to obtain qualitative data in order to inform a future program to address both relationship andeconomic issues. Participants in five focus groups shared their views on: (1) how economic circumstances affect their lives; (2) barriers to economic stability; and (3) needed supports.
Methods
Data for this study draws from a mixed-methods design using both survey (n=726) and qualitative data from focus groups with 44 African-American and Hispanic mothers and fathers. The groups were 90 minutes in length and utilized a seven question, semi-structured interview guide. Hispanic groups were conducted in Spanish and translated by native speakers. A thematic analytic approach was employed with comparisons made across race and gender. Baseline survey data from the intervention study of income, education, and employment were analyzed by race and gender to augment this comparison.
Results
Participants conveyed a strong commitment to their families and bettering their lives through steady employment. Among all groups, finances contributed to stress and partner conflict. Particularly for fathers, an inability to support their families had erosive effects on their self-esteem. Employed parents experienced unsteady hours, low-wages, and decreased customer spending. Barriers to employment varied by race and gender with overarching themes of: a weak economy; lack of contacts and social networks; arrests/convictions; and lack of child-care and transportation. Favored remedies for mothers included: “start-up” money for training programs and child-care assistance; for fathers they included: furthering education through certificate programs; entrepreneurial assistance in starting a business, mechanisms to expunge records, and financial education pertaining to credit, loans, and insurance. Survey data corroborate these needs. At baseline, 75% of parents held a high school degree or less; 57% were unemployed and 82% had an income of $15,000 or less.
Implications
Policies and programs aimed at supporting disadvantaged new parents should take a comprehensive approach that focuses on strengthening employment potential and relationship skills. Given the different needs of men and women and racial/ethnic groups, a more nuanced approach may be most effective.