Det ensamstående moderskapet - En kvalitativ studie av ensamstående mödrars vardagsstrategier och drivkrafter

Abstract

Lone parents, specifically lone mothers, are an increasing group in society, according to Statistiska Central Byrån, SCB statistics. Sweden's developed statistics in 2017 showed that 358,400 households consisted of single women with children, and are still increasing. Earlier studies show that lone mothers are a group of risk and that during the past 30 years their living conditions has not improved, but rather been permanent. Despite the Nordic welfare system political changes in parental policies, lone mothers everyday life is often pictured as problematic and they are often pointed out as a group at risk. Though social change and parental insurance has become an enabling factor for active and equal parenting, it has not focused on the single mothers and their situation. Therefore the image of the single mother has remained ratherly intact. This report has its groundwork in the eight qualitative interviews conducted with lone mothers with children they had full time custody over or alternately every other week. The overall aim of this study was to explore the source of their intrinsic motivation and answer to what the essential factors are that keep them motivated to advance and be as good a mother as possible. With focus on individual stories this report seeks to answer the problemformulations: - What are the most important action strategies that the interviewees use in handling a demanding everyday life? - What are the factors that increase the motivation and the interviewees regarding single parenting? Through qualitative interviews with eight lone mothers the overall aim of this study is to explore the source to their intrinsic remotivation and answers to what the essentiel factors are that keep them motivated to advance and be as good a mother as possible. The results indicate that strong relationships, confidence with organisation and an ongoing positive inner conversation has a positive effect on the lone mothers motivation and everyday commitments. Key factors that strengthened the mothers and their inner motivation were discovered through the analysis. The findings indicate that strong relationships, confidence with their surrounding organization, and an ongoing positive inner conversation has a positive effect on the lone mothers motivation and everyday commitments. Further results show that one of the strategies to make everyday life easier is to form a team with a strong sense of unity with their children. Regarding to the mothers type of inner conversation they carried out strategies and made decisions concerning life projects and goals. On the basis of these conversations, confidence and motivation increased as a result of conversations and social interaction among female friends.