Life Challenges and Mental Health Issues of Single Mothers: A Systematic Examination
Siti Marziah Zakaria1, Nor Hazila Mat Lazim2, Suzana Mohd. Hoesni3

1Siti Marziah Zakaria, Centre of Psychology and Human Development, National University of Malaysia UKM, Bangi, Malaysia.
2Nor Hazila Mat Lazim, Faculty of Language and Linguistics, University of Malaya UM, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
3Suzana Mohd Hoesni, Centre of Psychology and Human Development, UKM, Bangi, Malaysia.
Manuscript received on 17 September 2019 | Revised Manuscript received on 04 October 2019 | Manuscript Published on 11 October 2019 | PP: 48-52 | Volume-8 Issue-2S10 September 2019 | Retrieval Number: B10070982S1019/2019©BEIESP | DOI: 10.35940/ijrte.B1007.0982S1019
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Abstract: As the number of single mothers worldwide increases, their challenges and health issues were discussed in the previous literature. This systematic analysis aims to reveal mental health problems of single-mothers and discuss the adversities faced by them. Financial hardship was seemingly the most significant problem among the low incomes, unemployed and poor single mothers, which showed that poverty and mental health problems were inextricably related. Several factors were found in this study, which has led the single mothers to poverty, such as lowincome employment, large numbers of self-employment, unemployed, low education level, lack of adequate skills and age factor. In addition to that, numerous lines of research have indicated that low social support from the surrounding area was the factor of the distress of single mothers. Previous studies showed that single mothers use negative coping strategies, for example, consuming drugs, cigarettes, alcohol, and anti-depressants to alleviate the effects of stressful life. These coping strategies were found to be harmful to their physical and mental health. Therefore, suggestions and recommendations are provided to improve the lives of single mothers and their children to accomplish quality of life.
Keywords: Mental Health, Single Mother, Systematic Analysis, Well-Being.
Scope of the Article: Computational Biology