When two are a family: looking backward and looking forward in a group intervention with single‐by‐choice mothers

Abstract

Objective: We describe a preventive short‐term group intervention with nine single‐by‐choice (SBC) mothers to provide maximal support for parental functioning and to minimize possible emotional and/or developmental difficulties in their children. Method: Dynamically oriented group work (fifteen one‐and‐a‐half‐hour sessions) focused on: elaboration of painful experiences in the peri‐natal period; reducing stress, tension and guilt; helping mothers with problematic aspects of parenting through work on parental self‐image and perceptions of the child and the dyadic interaction; and strengthening their acceptance of the chosen family model. Results: Therapeutic gains described by mothers and facilitators include: reduced tension, anxiety and guilt; improved integration of the mother's parental self‐image and perception of the child; reduced ambivalence in dyadic relationships; strengthening the mother's fantasized triadic relationships; better acceptance of chosen family pattern; mothers' willingness to tell children their birth story. Conclusion: Dynamically oriented preventive group intervention with SBC mothers can identify potential psychological risk factors and help mothers with sensitive aspects of parenting.

Relations between social support and psychological and parental distress for lesbian, single heterosexual by choice, and two-parent heterosexual mothers.

“…Nonetheless, nontraditional family models have begun to emerge although these still represent specific societal sectors (Ben‐Daniel, Rokach, Filtzer, & Feldman, 2007). For example, same‐sex parent families are predominantly Jewish, residing in large cities in central Israel and belonging to middle to upper middle socioeconomic status (Bar‐On, 1997).…”

“…Both lesbian and single heterosexual mothers belong to marginalized minority groups in Israeli society. Childbearing outside of the traditional family model is frequently greeted with ambivalence of family and friends and insufficient support (Ben‐Daniel et al., 2007). However, motherhood is so rooted in Israeli society that lesbian adolescents include being a mother in the future in their self‐concept (Ben‐Ari & Efrat, 2002) and parents of lesbian adolescents express desire for their daughters to have children (Ben‐Ari, 1995).…”

“…Single mothers tend to receive less social support (Cairney, Boyle, Offord, & Racine, 2003; Lipman & Boyle, 2005) and are more vulnerable to stress (Ben‐Daniel et al., 2007). In view of this, it would be assumed that single mothers by choice would have lower levels of positive social support from both family and friends than lesbian and heterosexual mothers.…”

Children's adjustment in non‐traditional families in Israel: the effect of parental sexual orientation and the number of parents on children's development

“…Nonetheless, non‐traditional family models have begun to emerge although these still represent specific societal sectors (Ben‐Daniel et al . 2007).…”

“…Nonetheless, non-traditional family models have begun to emerge although these still represent specific societal sectors (Ben-Daniel et al 2007). Both lesbian and single heterosexual mothers belong to marginalized minority groups in Israeli society.…”