Single mothers: Stress, coping, and social support

Measures of economic hardship, coping, self-esteem, and social support from friends and co-workers predicted nearly 25% of the variation in financial strain in a sample of 83 single mothers in New York City. Social support appeared to function as a protector in the face of stress, though evidence for the buffer effect was meager. Support from co-workers and friends rather than family was positively related to well-being. Self-esteem strongly affected the well-being of single mothers, accounting for a unique 5% of the variation in strain. Implications for community psychologists are discussed.