Parenting Experiences as a Single Mother in Türkiye: A Qualitative Study
- 1İstanbul Arel Üniversitesi, Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi, Hemşirelik Bölümü
- 2GÜMÜŞHANE ÜNİVERSİTESİ
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to explore how single mothers navigate invisible care labour, gendered responsibilities, and emotional exhaustion within a neoliberal–patriarchal welfare context in Türkiye, from a feminist social work perspective. Method: A qualitative study design was employed. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 single mothers living in a metropolitan city in Türkiye. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling via women’s support networks and community organizations. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using content analysis with NVivo software. Data saturation was achieved after 14 interviews. Results: Three overarching themes were identified: (1) Motherhood as a Source of Meaning, (2) Gendered Responsibilities and Structural Burdens, and (3) Burnout and Emotional Erosion. Participants described motherhood as a key source of emotional strength and meaning, while simultaneously experiencing intensified economic hardship, time poverty, and social isolation. The burden of sole caregiving, efforts to compensate for the perceived “absence of a father,” and limited institutional support contributed to psychological and physical exhaustion, feelings of inadequacy, and future-related anxiety. Conclusion: Single motherhood in Türkiye is shaped by intersecting neoliberal and patriarchal structures that privatize care and intensify women’s unpaid labour. Although motherhood provides emotional meaning and resilience, these resources are insufficient to counterbalance structural vulnerabilities.
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BibTeX
@article{tandogan2026parenting,
title = {{Parenting Experiences as a Single Mother in Türkiye: A Qualitative Study}},
author = {Özden Tandoğan and Sevda Karakaş},
journal = {Psikiyatride Güncel Yaklaşımlar},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.18863/pgy.1847327},
url = {https://doi.org/10.18863/pgy.1847327},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Parenting Experiences as a Single Mother in Türkiye: A Qualitative Study
AU - Özden Tandoğan
AU - Sevda Karakaş
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/25
JO - Psikiyatride Güncel Yaklaşımlar
DO - 10.18863/pgy.1847327
UR - https://doi.org/10.18863/pgy.1847327
AB - Objective: This study aimed to explore how single mothers navigate invisible care labour, gendered responsibilities, and emotional exhaustion within a neoliberal–patriarchal welfare context in Türkiye, from a feminist social work perspective. Method: A qualitative study design was employed. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 single mothers living in a metropolitan city in Türkiye. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling via women’s support networks and community organizations. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using content analysis with NVivo software. Data saturation was achieved after 14 interviews. Results: Three overarching themes were identified: (1) Motherhood as a Source of Meaning, (2) Gendered Responsibilities and Structural Burdens, and (3) Burnout and Emotional Erosion. Participants described motherhood as a key source of emotional strength and meaning, while simultaneously experiencing intensified economic hardship, time poverty, and social isolation. The burden of sole caregiving, efforts to compensate for the perceived “absence of a father,” and limited institutional support contributed to psychological and physical exhaustion, feelings of inadequacy, and future-related anxiety. Conclusion: Single motherhood in Türkiye is shaped by intersecting neoliberal and patriarchal structures that privatize care and intensify women’s unpaid labour. Although motherhood provides emotional meaning and resilience, these resources are insufficient to counterbalance structural vulnerabilities.
SN - 1309-0674
SN - 1309-0658
ER -