In Their Shoes: Maternal Experiences of Single Parent Women in Outaouais

Geneviève Proulx

Impact

  • Ongoing data analysis will allow further understanding of these mother’s experience and needs which will propose necessary recommendations to improve services in the Ottawa-Gatineau region.

  • The project findings, as well as recommendations, have been shared with partner organizations in the Outaouais region.

  • Furthermore, it is hoped that participating in the project helped build a sense of community, support and resiliency among the participants, especially those who took part in the focus group. Finally, ongoing data analysis will allow further understanding of these mother’s experience and needs which will propose necessary recommendations to improve services in the Ouataouais region.

  • Québec

  • Studentship

  • University of Québec

  • Centre Espoir Sophie

  • Mitacs

  • 2021-2022

  • Women’s Mental Health

  • Women, Family Members

About the Project

This project’s objective was to identify accessibility gaps of mental health services by single mothers in the region of Outaouais. It sought to understand the specific needs of single mothers, encompassing material, social and psychological support, as well as their access to community mental health services. Additionally, the project examined the various barriers hindering access and explored resilience factors to inform strategies for enhancing service provision.

Methodology

13 single mothers in the Outaouais community were invited to partake in semi-structured interviews. They were asked to discuss their maternal experience, their needs and their challenges. The interviews also assessed the resilience factors among participants, with the objective to identify and understand the elements that bolstered their strength. A group discussion followed with 5 of the 13 initial participants, allowing the research team to verify and validate findings and creating a space for sharing and empowerment.

Findings

Participants identified psychological help as their most common need, citing occasional challenges to mental health such as anxiety, depression, burn-out, and stress management. Mothers particularly emphasized the importance of social support and expressed feelings of loneliness, while recognizing the necessity of self-care, which is hindered without adequate support. They expressed appreciation for support from community organizations, government programs, and private healthcare services, highlighting the emotional, social, and financial assistance provided. However, accessibility emerged as a significant barrier, with long waiting lists for psychological and financial aid, as well as challenges in accessing daycare services due to transportation issues. Affordability was another concern, especially regarding psychological support and daycare services, as participants often lacked insurance coverage to alleviate costs.

Resources Created

2 publications were and academic presentation were created so far in order to share the results with the public. It is hoped that these will help the general public, as well as other likeminded researchers, to broaden their understanding of the needs, experiences and resilience of single mothers.