Low-income single mothers endure compounded financial stress arising from their roles as sole providers and primary caregivers, often within systems that offer limited institutional support. The coping patterns identified are examined through the lenses of Stress and Coping Theory (Lazarus (2) social stigma, which discourages seeking assistance and reinforces marginalisation; (3) emotional and psychological strain, characterised by internalised distress; and (4) growing disillusionment with political and welfare systems due to unmet expectations and bureaucratic inefficiencies. This study calls for multidimensional policy responses that address not only economic deprivation but also the social and psychological realities of single motherhood.
Rasli et al. (Wed,) studied this question.