Global Journal of Psychology Research: New Trends and Issues

Struggling through the thorns of socio-economic climate: A case of single mothers in Masvingo Urban, Zimbabwe

Bothwell Matewe — 2025-03-30

Single mothers experience complex life circumstances that often expose them to persistent social and psychological challenges. Although existing literature acknowledges these difficulties, limited qualitative research has explored how single mothers interpret and manage these challenges within their everyday lived experiences, revealing an important research gap. The objective of this study is to explore the psychosocial challenges encountered by single mothers and the coping strategies they employ in response to prevailing social and economic pressures. A qualitative research design was adopted to gain an in-depth understanding of these experiences. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 7 purposively selected participants, with additional participants identified through snowball sampling. Thematic analysis was used to examine shared experiences and adaptive strategies. The findings indicate that single mothers commonly experience social labeling, emotional isolation, psychological stress, and persistent financial strain, which collectively affect their well-being and social functioning. Participants also reported employing informal coping mechanisms to navigate these challenges, although support systems were often limited. The study underscores the need for community-based psychological interventions and social support programs aimed at addressing unrecognized mental health needs among single mothers. These findings have important implications for social policy, mental health services, and community development initiatives.

Keywords: Coping strategies; psychosocial challenges; qualitative research; single mothers; social support.

The relationship between self-esteem, attachment styles, and romantic relationships satisfaction

Irmak Cetin — 2025-03-30

This study explores the relationships among self-esteem, attachment styles, and romantic relationship satisfaction in adulthood. Although prior research has examined these constructs independently, limited attention has been given to their combined influence on relationship satisfaction while accounting for attachment insecurity, indicating a notable research gap. The objective of the study is to examine how self-esteem and attachment styles jointly contribute to adults' evaluations of their romantic relationships. A quantitative research design was employed, using standardized self-report instruments to collect data from 180 participants aged over 18. The measures assessed self-esteem, attachment orientations, and perceived relationship satisfaction. The findings indicate that higher self-esteem is associated with greater relationship satisfaction, whereas insecure attachment orientations are linked to lower self-esteem and diminished satisfaction. In contrast, secure attachment does not demonstrate a strong independent contribution when other variables are considered. Differences in relationship satisfaction were observed across gender, although self-esteem and attachment patterns remained comparable. The study highlights the stronger negative influence of attachment insecurity relative to the positive role of secure attachment. These findings have important implications for counseling practice by emphasizing the need to address attachment-related vulnerabilities and self-evaluative processes to enhance relationship quality.

Keywords: Adult relationships; attachment styles; relationship satisfaction; self-esteem; psychological wellbeing