Research Information System
Journal of Child and Family Studies, vol.35, no.1, pp.232-248, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
Being a single parent brings various difficulties, and during disasters such as the pandemic and earthquakes, single-parent families are more vulnerable. This research aims to examine the experiences of single-parent families in Turkey, Which is a Low- and Middle-Income Country (LMIC), formed due to different reasons such as death, divorce and temporary conditions. For this purpose, 32 single parents (13 men and 19 women) living in different parts of Turkey were reached, including 11 following divorce, 11 following the death of a spouse and 10 due to temporary separation. The interviews were conducted individually online through a semi-structured form prepared by the researchers. In addition to participants’ experiences and views on being a single parent, their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and the major earthquake in Turkey were discussed. Thematic analysis was conducted. Two main themes and twelve sub-themes emerged. The themes were Risks and Strains and Adaptation and Rebuilding Capacities. The Risks and Strains theme comprised mental health conditions, parenting stress, financial challenges, displacement and the reconstruction of social networks, increasing responsibilities, lack of social support, public stigma and boundary violations, the COVID-19 pandemic and the earthquake, and gender and pathway differences. The Adaptation and Rebuilding Capacities theme comprised functional social support, resilience and post-traumatic growth and the elimination of various stressors. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that single-parent families face both heightened strains and adaptive capacities, particularly under crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 earthquakes, emphasizing the need for gender-sensitive supports and resilience-oriented policies.