The Web: A Safety Net for Single Mothers' Mental Health |
(NC)-Between raising their children and trying to support their families, single moms often have little if any time, energy, or money to look after their own mental health, often with serious and sad consequences. Educational and support programs can help, yet many lone mothers live in rural or remote areas and don't have access to the resources that are often available to those in urban centres.
But promising new research is looking at whether the Internet could be a lifeline for mothers parenting on their own, feeling isolated, and struggling with mental health issues. "We're hoping to be able to use the Internet to not only provide information, but help these women feel better about themselves and be more effective parents," says Dr. Ellen Lipman, a child psychologist and associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
Single mothers face many unique hardships, such as the psychological pressures of parenting alone: social isolation, loneliness, and a lack of parenting support.
Some 11.2% of single mothers reported symptoms of major depression in the 2002 Canadian Community Health Survey on Mental Health and Well-Being, more than twice that reported by married or cohabitating mothers. Poverty makes matters worse Depression rates for single mothers in the lowest income group was 17.4%, compared with less than 7% among married or cohabitating mothers.
To start dealing with the problem, several years ago, Lipman began by setting up support groups for single mothers of children who were being seen in a mental health clinical setting in Hamilton.
Her community program brought together groups of six to eight single mothers for a series of weekly 90-minute meetings over a ten-week period. "Many felt there was a stigma, and without the group they had nobody to talk to," says Lipman. The interactions quickly paid off. "We measured the participants' progress over the course of the program, and found there was a noticeable improvement in their mood and their level of self-esteem," says Lipman.
With funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, she's launching a pilot study to see whether her community-based approach can be duplicated online. "Service access is a real problem," says Lipman. "The Internet decreases a lot of these access issues."
The on-line trial project will offer education and information, with resources on how to deal with everything from mood issues and child development to how to access financial assistance. Just as importantly, it will provide a way for single mothers to connect with each other. The computers will all be equipped with a microphone and webcam, allowing the participants to hear and see each other during regular cyber get-togethers. "When these women are able to talk to each other and they realize they aren't alone, that gives them confidence," says Lipman.
But promising new research is looking at whether the Internet could be a lifeline for mothers parenting on their own, feeling isolated, and struggling with mental health issues. "We're hoping to be able to use the Internet to not only provide information, but help these women feel better about themselves and be more effective parents," says Dr. Ellen Lipman, a child psychologist and associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
Single mothers face many unique hardships, such as the psychological pressures of parenting alone: social isolation, loneliness, and a lack of parenting support.
Some 11.2% of single mothers reported symptoms of major depression in the 2002 Canadian Community Health Survey on Mental Health and Well-Being, more than twice that reported by married or cohabitating mothers. Poverty makes matters worse Depression rates for single mothers in the lowest income group was 17.4%, compared with less than 7% among married or cohabitating mothers.
To start dealing with the problem, several years ago, Lipman began by setting up support groups for single mothers of children who were being seen in a mental health clinical setting in Hamilton.
Her community program brought together groups of six to eight single mothers for a series of weekly 90-minute meetings over a ten-week period. "Many felt there was a stigma, and without the group they had nobody to talk to," says Lipman. The interactions quickly paid off. "We measured the participants' progress over the course of the program, and found there was a noticeable improvement in their mood and their level of self-esteem," says Lipman.
With funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, she's launching a pilot study to see whether her community-based approach can be duplicated online. "Service access is a real problem," says Lipman. "The Internet decreases a lot of these access issues."
The on-line trial project will offer education and information, with resources on how to deal with everything from mood issues and child development to how to access financial assistance. Just as importantly, it will provide a way for single mothers to connect with each other. The computers will all be equipped with a microphone and webcam, allowing the participants to hear and see each other during regular cyber get-togethers. "When these women are able to talk to each other and they realize they aren't alone, that gives them confidence," says Lipman.
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