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Irene Y.H. Ng swknyhi@nus.sg

Irene Y.H. Ng swknyhi@nus.edu.sg. Troubled by financial and children troubles: psychological self-concepts of low-income parents in Singapore Social Work Social Development 2012 10 July 2012. Acknowledgements. Ministry of Community Development Youth and Sports (MCYS)

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Irene Y.H. Ng swknyhi@nus.sg

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  1. Irene Y.H. Ng swknyhi@nus.edu.sg Troubled by financial and children troubles: psychological self-concepts of low-income parents in SingaporeSocial Work Social Development 201210 July 2012

  2. Acknowledgements Ministry of Community Development Youth and Sports (MCYS) Community Development Councils Research team: Ho Kong Weng, Division of Economics, NTU Alex Lee, Department of Social Work, NUS Ngiam Tee Liang, Department of Social Work, NUS Nesam Tharmalingam, Department of Social Work, NUS

  3. Today’s Presentation • Poverty in Singapore • Socioeconomic and policy context • Theory: effects on and of parents’ self-concepts • Self-efficacy • Aggravation in parenting • Sample & methodology • Findings • Implications for working with low-income parents

  4. Poverty in Singapore • Wage stagnation despite high economic growth • Widening inequality => Bottom earners of increasing concern

  5. Policy Context • Limited effectiveness for many/majority of recipients • Why? • Poor families seldom struggle with ONLY financial woes

  6. Children problems Model of self-concepts of low-income parents Increased difficult in sustaining work & meeting welfare requirements • Financial hardship • Diminished self-concept

  7. Sample:754 parents with at least one child below 21 years oldat the start of Work SupportMar 2010-Jul 2011

  8. Work Support Government financial assistance programme to help recipients find employment and achieve financial independence through interim financial support and other assistance

  9. Method: Linear probability regression Interaction Parents’ (a) self-efficacy & (b) parenting aggravation

  10. Self-concept 1: Self-efficacy / self-mastery “The extent to which people see themselves as being in control of the forces that importantly affect their lives” (Pearlin et al. 1980, Bandura 1982)

  11. Pearlin Self-efficacy • No way I can solve some of my problems • Little control over things • Often feel helpless • Little I can do to change important things

  12. Self-concept 2: Parenting aggravation “Parenting stress that might result from changes in employment, income and other factors” (Panel Study of Income Dynamics 2010) • Adapted from Parenting Stress Index (Abidin, 1990)

  13. Aggravation in parenting • Being a parent is harder than I thought • I feel trapped by my responsibility as a parent • I find that taking care of my child(ren) is more work than pleasure • I often feel tired, worn out, or exhausted from raising a family

  14. Individual’s characteristics • how many family members or relatives: • they heard from at least once a month, • felt at ease to talk about private matters, and • could call on for help. • Similarly for friends or neighbours • Scale: 0 – 5 (nine or more)

  15. Children’s characteristics

  16. Demographic characteristics

  17. Results: No interactions Standard errors in parentheses. * significant at 5%; ** significant at 1%

  18. Results: With interactions Standard errors in parentheses. * significant at 5%; ** significant at 1%

  19. Results: Another significant factor Standard errors in parentheses. * significant at 5%; ** significant at 1% Model without interactions shown, but results similar in model with interactions.

  20. Main findings • Children’s health aggravated parenting. • Children’s difficult behaviour worsened parenting stress AND parents’ self-efficacy. • Family earnings did not relate to self-concepts. However, lower family earnings • amplified the effects of children’s difficult behaviour on parents’ stress and self-efficacy. • Social support from friends and family improved self-efficacy.

  21. Limitations • Cross-sectional => can’t conclude causality

  22. Implications • limited effectiveness if recipients’ psychosocial barriers to financial independence not addressed • Case-management beyond financial monitoring • Case loads & case-management training • Integration of services • Supportive manner of case officer important • Targeted assessment and intervention • For families with difficult children and • on improving social support. * Evaluation of these suggestions

  23. Thank you

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