Coping Strategies and Perceived Support of Student-Mothers at The University of Education, Winneba-Campus

Authors

  • Cecilia Anane Department of Pedagogy-St. Joseph’s College of Education, P. O. Box 15- Bechem Author
  • Amos Amuribadek Adangabe Department of Pedagogy-Nusrat Jahan Ahmadiyya College of Education, Box 71- Wa, Ghana- West Africa Author
  • Daniel Inkoom Berekum College of Education Box 74, Berekum - Bono Region, Ghana. Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48165/sajssh.2021.2310

Keywords:

Coping Strategy, Student-mothers

Abstract

This research work explored the perceived support (needs) of student-mothers as they undertake motherhood and studentship concurrently at the University of Education, Winneba campus of Ghana. The study is a qualitative piece that employed the case study design. Twenty student-mothers between the ages 26 – 40 with at least a child aged five years or below staying with them full time on campus were interviewed. The student-mothers were selected through purposive and snowball sampling techniques. An unstructured interview was employed by the researchers to gather data for the research. It emerged from the study that mothering had effects on the health, social, and academic life of student-mothers. The data further revealed that student-mothers coped with their economic challenges by reducing their expenses and budgeting. The study went on to reveal that student-mothers want their lecturers to be more understanding and flexible to reschedule their lecture periods.

References

Affum, P. K., Kusi, H., Mensah, D. K. D., & Afful-Broni, A. (2013). “Serving ‘Two Masters’ in the Ghanaian educational context”: The experiences of working post graduate students, at the department of psychology and education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. African journal of inter disciplinary studies. 6 (2), 13-22.

Ajandi, J. (2011). Single mothers by choice: discourses of the family through social justice alternatives. International Journal of child Youth and family studies, 3&4, 410-431.

Anderson, K. (2000). A recognition of being: Reconstructing Native womanhood. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Sumach Press.

Anspaugh, D. J., Hamrick, M. H. & Rosato, F. D., (2003), Wellness, concepts and applications, New York: McGraw-Hill.

Atuahene, F. (2007). The Challenge of Financing Higher Education and the Role of Student Loans Scheme: An Analysis of the Student Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) in Ghana. Higher Education: Published online: Springer.

Bedu-Addo, P.K.A. (2000). Guidance and Counselling Unmasked. (3rd Ed). Accra: Type company Ltd.

Bosch, B. (2013). Balancing the dual role of post graduate student and mother. Edith Cowan University: http://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/592/

Brotheridge, C. M., & Lee, R. T. (2005). Impact of work-family interference on general well-being: A replication and extension. International Journal of Stress Management, 12, 203–221.

Burgess, N. J. (1994). Gender Roles Revisited: The Development of the "Woman's Place" Among African American Women in the United States. Journal of Black Studies. Vol. 24, No. 4, pp. 391-401

Carlson, D. S., & Perrewe´, P. L. (1999). The role of social support in the stressor-strain relationship: An examination of work-family conflict. Journal of Management, 25, 513–540.

Carver, C. & Connor-Smith, J. (2010). Personality and Coping. Annual Review. 61;679-704.

Criag R. T. (2007). Pragmatism in the field of communication theory. Communication Theory, 17, (2), 125-145.

Elvin-Nowark, Y., & Thompson, H. (2001). Motherhood as idea and practice: Discursive understanding of employed mothers in Sweden Gender and society, 15(3), 407-428.

Feldman, R. S. (2005). Essentials of Understanding Psychology. (6th Ed). New York: McGraw Hill.

Folkman, S. & Moskowitz, J. T. (2004). Coping: Pitfalls and Promise. Annual Review of Psychology, 55, 745-774.

Good, A., Sambhanthan, A., & Panjganj, V. (2013). Looking back at Facebook content and the positive impact upon wellbeing: Exploring reminiscing as a tool for self-soothing. Retrieved 2/01/2014 from http://arxiv.org/abs/1302.5495.

Greenhaus, J. H. & Beutell, N.J. (1985). Sources of Conflict between Work &Family Roles. Academy of Management Review 10, 76-88.

Lazarus R. S. (2006). Emotions and interpersonal relationships: toward a person-centered conceptualization of emotions and coping. J. Personal. 74:9–46

Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal and coping. New York: Springer.

Leavy, R. (1983). Social support and psychological disorder: A review. Journal of community psychology. 11(1) 3-21.

Lynch, K. D. (2008). Gender Roles and the American Academe: A case study of graduate student-mothers. Gender and Education, 20(6), 585-605.

Martin, A. J. (2003). The student motivation scale: Further testing of an instrument that measures school students’ motivation. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 47(1), 88-106.

Pearlin, L. (1993). The social contexts of stress. In L. Goldberger & S. Breznitz (Eds.), Handbook of stress (2nd ed., pp. 303–315). New York: The Free Press.

Prentice, S. (2001). Introduction. In S. Prentice (Ed.), Changing child care: Five years of child care advocacy and policy in Canada (pp. 15-26). Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada: Fernwood.

Reay, D. (2003). A risky business? Mature working-class women students and access to higher education. Gender and Education, 15(3), 301–317.

Rhoades, L., & Eisenberger, R. (2002). Perceived organizational support: A review of the literature. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 698–714.

Vryonides, M., &Vitsilakis, C. (2008). Widening participation in postgraduate studies in Greece: mature working women attending an e-learning programme. Journal of Education Policy, 23(3), 199-208.

Walkup, V. (2004). I don’t want you to be a teacher, I want you to be my mummy. Paper presented at the WHEN Annual Conference, Bolton Institute. Retrieved from http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/00003574.htm.

Welch, L. B. (1990). Women in higher education: changes and challenges. New York: Praeger.

White, S. (2009). Mothers becoming teachers. What motivates them? www.cacsenet.org/ibr International Business Research Vol. 4, No. 3

Williams, S. A. (2011). "Graduate students/mothers negotiating academia and family life: Discourses, experiences, and alternatives" education, Implication, Counselling and Education. Edo Journal of Counselling Vol. 4, Nos. 1& 2.

Woodhall, M. (1988). Designing a student loan programme for a developing country: The relevance of international experience. Economics of Education Review, Vol. 7, No. 1:153-161.

Downloads

Published

2021-06-03