Psychosocial Challenges and Coping Strategies of Women Headed Families: The Case of Gulele Sub City
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Date
2009-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The main objectives of this study were to assess the level of psychosocial
adjustment and coping strategy of women heading family alone, the "pecijic
psychosocial challenges they experienced and the coping mechanisms they
adopted. [n light of these objectives, 45 participants who head their family alone
and 45 women in intact families were selected. Out of these 44 women headed
and 37 women in intact families responded to a scale prepared on psychosocial
adjustment and coping strategy. [n addition 5 case women (WHFA) were
interviewed.
Pearson correlation was used to check the relationship of the women 's
demographic variables with their psychosocial adjustment and coping strategy.
The result showed that only income has significant relationship with
psychological adjustment while age and income showed a significant relationship
with social adjustment. With regard to coping strategy only age since leading a
family alone has showed significant relationship.
Dependent sample t-test showed that the women heading their fam ily alone are
above average in their social adjustment and coping strategy while they are with
in the average in their psychological adjustment. On the other hand the
independent sample t-test showed that in all these three variables the mean scores
of the women heading their family alone are significantly lower than the women
in intact families.
The interview conducted with the five women heading their family alone was
analyzed qualitatively using themes. The women expressed the severe economic,
social and psychological challenges they faced and the coping styles they
adopted.
From the findings the researcher concluded that women heading their family
alone are in a weakened situation in terms of psychological feeling, social
relationship, and coping mechanisms compared to women in intact families.
Despite this situation the women have adopted various techniques and are using
their efforts to cope with the situation. Based on these findings the researcher has
identified key implications for intervention and research.
Key words: Women headedfamily, psychological adjustment, social adjustment,
coping strategies, economic challenge
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Keywords
Women headedfamily, psychological adjustment, social adjustment, coping strategies, economic challenge