CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES OF CUSTODIAL MOTHERS FOLLOWING THEIR DIVORCE: IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE

Abstract

Although divorce leads to the separation of the parents, it does not proclaim the termination of the relationship between former partners but instead transforms it. Parents usually co-construct their roles to raise their children together. However, many studies have attested that divorce affects women more than men in many respects. This study was driven by the need to explore the challenging experiences of custodial mothers following their divorce. For this qualitative study, eleven custodial mothers who were divorced and co-parenting with former spouses were interviewed. Data were generated through semi-structured face-to-face interviews with open-ended questions in an interview guide. These were subsequently analysed thematically. Through purposive sampling and date collection, six themes emerged from the participants’ narratives. The results revealed that custodial mothers face challenges of strained communication, lone parenting and lack of fathers’ involvement in raising their children. The study recommends educating divorced parents, particularly on family therapy and mediation.