A Qualitative Analysis of Psychosocial Risk Factors in the Lives of Single Women

Pages: 286-296

S. Deepak Kumar and N. Annalakshmi (Department of Psychology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu)

For decades, studies have frequently identified and highlighted the challenges single women face, including problems related to work, rearing children, maintaining the health of family members, and economic burdens. The present study aims to identify and explore the psychosocial risk factors among single women. Using a semi-structured interview schedule, in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 single women (i.e., widowed/ divorced/ separated) from a mid-sized city in South India. The themes that emerged represented the risk factors that thwart the positive adaptation of single women: being single, rumination over experiences from the past, negative responses of parents to the marital issues, lack of empathy and support from extended family, lack of support and negative behavior from the ex-spouse and his family after marital dissolution, physical and psychological health issues after marital dissolution, economic challenges, challenges in rearing child as a single woman, social challenges, challenges with colleagues in the workplace, and maladaptive responses to challenges. Further research should focus on developing effective interventions or training programmes to single women that promote healthy adaptation and development in the face of adversity.