Parent-Adolescent Gender Match in Single-Parent Families: Does it Matter?

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18427211

V. C. Megha and N. Annalakshmi (Department of Psychology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu)

Changes in family structure can disrupt family functioning and place adolescents at heightened psychological risk. The absence of one parent in a single-parent household is often associated with increased emotional and behavioral difficulties during adolescence. The objective of the present study was to compare adolescents from single-parent families with and without parent-adolescent gender match on psychological problems. Using a mixed sampling technique combining purposive and quota sampling techniques, 100 adolescents (50 from single-mother & 50 from single-father families), comprising equal numbers of boys and girls in each type of family were recruited from a district in Kerala. Psychological problems were assessed using a standardized self-report measure. The one-way ANOVA results of the study showed that girls living with single fathers have higher psychological problems compared to girls living with single mothers, boys living with single mothers, and boys living with single fathers. No significant difference in psychological problems was observed between boys living with single mothers and boys living with single fathers. Findings show the importance of considering parent-adolescent gender combinations to get a better understanding of the psychological problems among adolescents in single-parent families. It emphasize the need for gender-sensitive and context-specific mental health interventions to support adolescents growing up in single-parent families.