UNVEILING THE EXPERIENCES OF LEARNERS WITH SOLO PARENTS

Breen B. Dote, Noe P. Garcia

Abstract


The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the experiences of learners with solo parents at Surallah National High School. Using purposive sampling, five learners participated in individual in-depth interviews to share their challenges, feelings, views, and coping mechanisms. The transcribed and translated data revealed the following essential themes: Deepened Admiration, Prone to Emotional Battles, Resilience in Tough Times, Tendency to Reminisce the Past, Breakdown of Trust, Acceptance as the Only Option, Financial Strain, Longing for Parental Presence, Feeling of Emptiness, Need to Work for Survival, Affected by Varied Dilemmas, Developing a Sense of Empathy, Mutual Support System, Strength Amidst Adversity, Optimism, Valuing Family Assistance, Greater Appreciation for Life, and Perseverance. The study highlighted that learners with solo parents faced various emotional, financial, and social challenges. Based on the findings, educators are encouraged to foster empathy, resilience, and support systems to help these learners succeed both academically and emotionally.

 

Article visualizations:

Hit counter


Keywords


guidance and counseling, learner, experiences, challenges, insights, solo parent, fortitude, resilience, admiration, multiple case study, Philippines

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abdullah, N. M. S. A. N., Sabbri, F. S. M., & Isa, R. A. A. M. (2021). Tahfiz students’ experiences in memorizing the Qur’an: Unveiling their motivating factors and challenges. IIUM Journal of Educational Studies, 9(2), 42-63. https://doi.org/10.31436/ijes.v9i2.248

Abel Jr, A. (2024). Second chances: Exploring the Philippine alternative learning system. International Journal of Scholars in Education, 7(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.52134/ueader.1445226

Aguas, P. P. (2022). Fusing approaches in educational research: Data collection and data analysis in phenomenological research. The Qualitative Report, 27(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2022.5027

Andrada-Poa, M. R. J., Jabal, R. F., & Cleofas, J. V. (2022). Single mothering during the COVID-19 pandemic: A remote photovoice project among Filipino single mothers working from home. Community, Work & Family, 25(2), 260-278. https://doi.org/10.1080/13668803.2021.2006608

Andrew, A., Cattan, S., Costa Dias, M., Farquharson, C., Kraftman, L., Krutikova, S., & Sevilla, A. (2020). Inequalities in children's experiences of home learning during the COVID‐19 lockdown in England. Fiscal Studies, 41(3), 653-683. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-5890.12240

Arnilla, A. K., Casimero, J. M., Biray, E. T., Navejas, A. T., & Israel, P. R. (2023). Uncovering the Filipino mothers' experiences in teaching young children during uncertain times through reflexive thematic analysis. Journal of Education and e-Learning Research, 10(2), 233-242. https://doi.org/10.20448/jeelr.v10i2.4587

Aspers, P., & Corte, U. (2019). What is qualitative in qualitative research. Qualitative Sociology, 42, 139-160. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11133-019-9413-7

Averett, K. H. (2021). A feminist public sociology of the pandemic: Interviewing about a crisis, during a crisis. Gender, Work & Organization, 28, 321-329. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.12616

Baccal, V. S., & Ormilla, R. C. G. (2021). The implementation of Alternative Learning System in public schools in Isabela, Philippines. EDUCATUM Journal of Social Sciences, 7(1), 19-29. https://doi.org/10.37134/ejoss.vol7.1.3.2021

Bell, C. (2020). “Maybe if they let us tell the story, I wouldn’t have gotten suspended”: Understanding black students’ and parents’ perceptions of school discipline. Children and Youth Services Review, 110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.104757

Bender, S., Brown, K. S., Hensley Kasitz, D. L., & Vega, O. (2022). Academic women and their children: Parenting during COVID‐19 and the impact on scholarly productivity. Family Relations, 71(1), 46-67. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12632

Bos, A. E., Pryor, J. B., Reeder, G. D., & Stutterheim, S. E. (2013). Stigma: Advances in theory and research. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 35(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/01973533.2012.746147

Bozkus-Genc, G., & Sani-Bozkurt, S. (2022). How parents of children with autism spectrum disorder experience the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives and insights on the new normal. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104200

Canonizado, M. J. S. (2024). Learning support at home and learning outcomes of primary grade learners in private schools. Learning, 7(6). https://doi.org/10.54922/IJEHSS.2024.0856

Capannola, A. L., & Johnson, E. I. (2022). On being the first: The role of family in the experiences of first-generation college students. Journal of Adolescent Research, 37(1), 29-58. https://doi.org/10.1177/0743558420979144

Chance, N. L. (2021). A phenomenological inquiry into the influence of crucible experiences on the leadership development of black women in higher education senior leadership. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 49(4), 601-623. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432211019417

Chen, C. Y. C., Byrne, E., & Vélez, T. (2022). Impact of the 2020 pandemic of COVID-19 on families with school-aged children in the United States: Roles of income level and race. Journal of Family Issues, 43(3), 719-740. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X21994153

Christensen, M. A. (2021). Feminization of poverty: Causes and implications. In Gender Equality (pp. 368-377). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95687-9_6

Christner, N., Essler, S., Hazzam, A., & Paulus, M. (2021). Children’s psychological well-being and problem behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic: An online study during the lockdown period in Germany. Plos One, 16(6). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253473

Cooper, M., & Pugh, A. J. (2020). Families across the income spectrum: A decade in review. Journal of Marriage and Family, 82(1), 272-299. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12623

Cox, R. D. (2023). Navigating intersecting and conflicting Identities: Experiences of immigrant mothers at a Canadian college. Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 29(2), 544-562. https://doi.org/10.1177/14779714231170537

Currie, J., & Szabo, J. (2020). Policy and programs supporting solo parents: A global perspective. International Journal of Social Welfare, 29(1), 21-34. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2020.1725362

Cusinato, M., Iannattone, S., Spoto, A., Poli, M., Moretti, C., Gatta, M., & Miscioscia, M. (2020). Stress, resilience, and well-being in Italian children and their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(22), 8297. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228297

Dayal, H. C., & Tiko, L. (2020). When are we going to have the real school? A case study of early childhood education and care teachers’ experiences surrounding education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 45(4), 336-347. https://doi.org/10.1177/1836939120966085

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2012). Self-determination theory. Handbook of Theories of Social Psychology, 1(20), 416-436. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446249215.n21

Dill, B. T., & Zambrana, R. E. (2020). Critical thinking about inequality: An emerging lens. In Feminist Theory Reader (pp. 108-116). Routledge. Retrieved from https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003001201-14/critical-thinking-inequality-bonnie-thornton-dill-ruth-enid-zambrana

Dizon, M. D. (2022). Addressing the needs of distance education learners based on their perception of a successful student. International Journal on Open and Distance e-Learning, 8(1). Retrieved from https://ijodel.upou.edu.ph/ijodel/article/view/88

Engin, G. (2020). An examination of primary school students' academic achievements and motivation in terms of parents' attitudes, teacher motivation, teacher self-efficacy and leadership approach. International Journal of Progressive Education, 16(1), 257-276. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1244883

Evans, S., Mikocka-Walus, A., Klas, A., Olive, L., Sciberras, E., Karantzas, G., & Westrupp, E. M. (2020). From “it has stopped our lives” to “spending more time together has strengthened bonds”: The varied experiences of Australian families during COVID-19. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.588667

Flannigan, K., Kapasi, A., Pei, J., Murdoch, I., Andrew, G., & Rasmussen, C. (2021). Characterizing adverse childhood experiences among children and adolescents with prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Child Abuse & Neglect, 112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104888

Freitas, P. S., Soares, G. B., Mocelin, H. J., Lamonato, L. C., Sales, C. M., Linde‐Arias, A. R., ... & Maciel, E. L. (2020). How do mothers feel? Life with children with congenital Zika syndrome. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 148, 20-28. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.13044

Gallego, J. G. (2022). Skills, challenges, and academic performance of 21st-century learners of solo parents. Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 6(3), 1-1. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.7447207

Gandolfi, E., Ferdig, R. E., & Kratcoski, A. (2021). A new educational normal: an intersectionality-led exploration of education, learning technologies, and diversity during COVID-19. Technology in Society, 66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2021.101637

Garbe, A., Ogurlu, U., Logan, N., & Cook, P. (2020). COVID-19 and remote learning: Experiences of parents with children during the pandemic. American Journal of Qualitative Research, 4(3), 45-65. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/8471

Garcia, S. R., Lim, W. C., Pascua, P. K., Santiago, M. P., & Tus, J. (2021). Inang Tatay: The journey of single moms amidst COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Advanced Research and Innovative Ideas in Education, 7(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.13726213.v1

Gassman-Pines, A., Ananat, E. O., & Fitz-Henley, J. (2020). COVID-19 and parent-child psychological well-being. Pediatrics, 146(4). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2020-007294

Gunobgunob-Mirasol, R. (2024). Literacy in pandemic: Practices, challenges, and coping strategies of MKO’s in online and modular learning modalities. International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies, 12(2), 181-190. https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijels.v.12n.2p.181

Harper, C. E., Zhu, H., & Marquez Kiyama, J. (2020). Parents and families of first-generation college students experience their own college transition. The Journal of Higher Education, 91(4), 540-564. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2019.1647583

Johnson, M. S., Skjerdingstad, N., Ebrahimi, O. V., Hoffart, A., & Johnson, S. U. (2022). Parenting in a Pandemic: Parental stress, anxiety and depression among parents during the government‐initiated physical distancing measures following the first wave of COVID‐19. Stress and Health, 38(4), 637-652. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.3120

Kaczynski, D. (2024). Integrating theory into a qualitative research design. In How to Conduct Qualitative Research in Finance (pp. 67-79). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781803927008.00011

Kim, A. S., Choi, S., & Park, S. (2020). Heterogeneity in first-generation college students influencing academic success and adjustment to higher education. The Social Science Journal, 57(3), 288-304. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soscij.2018.12.002

Kim, C. J. H., & Padilla, A. M. (2020). Technology for educational purposes among low-income Latino children living in a mobile park in Silicon Valley: A case study before and during COVID-19. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 42(4), 497-514. https://doi.org/10.1177/0739986320959764

King, K. A. (2023). Family language policy. In The Routledge Handbook of Applied Linguistics (pp. 44-56). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003082637_5

Kosse, F., Deckers, T., Pinger, P., Schildberg-Hörisch, H., & Falk, A. (2020). The formation of prosociality: Causal evidence on the role of social environment. Journal of Political Economy, 128(2), 434-467. Retrieved from https://coilink.org/20.500.12592/p0fff2

Leban, L., & Gibson, C. L. (2020). The role of gender in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and delinquency and substance use in adolescence. Journal of Criminal Justice, 66, 101637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2019.101637

Letzel, V., Pozas, M., & Schneider, C. (2020). Energetic students, stressed parents, and nervous teachers: A comprehensive exploration of inclusive homeschooling during the COVID-19 crisis. Open Education Studies, 2(1), 159-170. https://doi.org/10.1515/edu-2020-0122

Liel, C., Ulrich, S. M., Lorenz, S., Eickhorst, A., Fluke, J., & Walper, S. (2020). Risk factors for child abuse, neglect and exposure to intimate partner violence in early childhood: Findings in a representative cross-sectional sample in Germany. Child Abuse & Neglect, 106, 104487. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104487

Llames, J. E. M. (2021). Solo parents’ involvement in the literacy instruction of their children in modular distance learning: Challenges and opportunities. Journal of World Englishes and Educational Practices 3(9):10-18 http://dx.doi.org/10.32996/ijllt.2021.4.9.2

Manansala, G. A. E., & Eje-Dimaculangan, G. A. (2024). Beyond winning: Lived experiences of thriving young professionals raised in solo-parent families. Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 2(8), 1-1. https://doi.org/10.69569/jip.2024.0326

Martin‐Denham, S. (2022). Marginalisation, autism and school exclusion: caregivers' perspectives. Support for Learning, 37(1), 108-143. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9604.12398

Mathrani, A., Sarvesh, T., & Umer, R. (2022). Digital divide framework: online learning in developing countries during the COVID-19 lockdown. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 20(5), 625-640. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2021.1981253

McLeod, S. A. (2007). Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Simply Psychology. Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

McMullin, C. (2023). Transcription and qualitative methods: Implications for third sector research. VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 34(1), 140-153. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-021-00400-3

Meral, B. F. (2022). Parental views of families of children with autism spectrum disorder and developmental disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 52(4), 1712-1724. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-05070-0

Mireles-Rios, R., Rios, V. M., & Reyes, A. (2020). Pushed out for missing school: The role of social disparities and school truancy in dropping out. Education Sciences, 10(4), 108. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10040108

Misra, J., Curington, C. V., & Green, V. M. (2024). Methods of intersectional research. In Intersectional Experiences and Marginalized Voices (pp. 10-29). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.1080/02732173.2020.1791772

Mooi-Reci, I., & Risman, B. J. (2021). The gendered impacts of COVID-19: Lessons and reflections. Gender & Society, 35(2), 161-167. https://doi.org/10.1177/08912432211001305

Mwanza, R. (2023). Coping mechanisms of single parents with primary school-going children under COVID-19, in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. University of Johannesburg (South Africa). https://hdl.handle.net/10210/511379

Naungayan, R. R., Vivencio, I. J. B., & Caplis, M. M. (2024). Involvement of working parents in students' academic achievement: basis of support programs. International Journal of Research in Education and Science, 10(1), 62-82. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijres.3281

Nieminen, J. H. (2023). Unveiling ableism and disablism in assessment: A critical analysis of disabled students’ experiences of assessment and assessment accommodations. Higher Education, 85(3), 613-636. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-022-00857-1

Noble‐Carr, D., Moore, T., & McArthur, M. (2020). Children's experiences and needs in relation to domestic and family violence: Findings from a meta‐synthesis. Child & Family Social Work, 25(1), 182-191. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12645

Ong, T. W. S. (2021). Family language policy, language maintenance and language shift: Perspectives from ethnic Chinese single mothers in Malaysia. Issues in Language Studies, 10(1), 59-75. https://doi.org/10.33736/ils.3075.2021

Osman, H., Brown, L., & Phung, T. M. T. (2020). The travel motivations and experiences of female Vietnamese solo travellers. Tourist Studies, 20(2), 248-267. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468797619878307

Otonkorpi‐Lehtoranta, K., Salin, M., Hakovirta, M., & Kaittila, A. (2022). Gendering boundary work: Experiences of work–family practices among Finnish working parents during COVID‐19 lockdown. Gender, Work & Organization, 29(6), 1952-1968. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.12773

Parolin, Z., & Lee, E. K. (2021). Large socio-economic, geographic and demographic disparities exist in exposure to school closures. Nature Human Behaviour, 5(4), 522-528. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-021-01087-8

Paulsen, J., & McCormick, A. C. (2020). Reassessing disparities in online learner student engagement in higher education. Educational Researcher, 49(1), 20-29. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X19898690

Powell, T., & Coles, J. A. (2021). ‘We still here’: Black mothers’ personal narratives of sense making and resisting antiblackness and the suspensions of their Black children. Race Ethnicity and Education, 24(1), 76-95. https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2020.1718076

Ray, D. C., Angus, E., Robinson, H., Kram, K., Tucker, S., Haas, S., & McClintock, D. (2020). Relationship between adverse childhood experiences, social-emotional competencies, and problem behaviors among elementary-aged children. Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling, 6(1), 70-82. https://doi.org/10.1080/23727810.2020.1719354

Rogers, C. R. (2014). Self-actualization theory (I). In An Introduction to Theories of Personality (pp. 183-201). Psychology Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315793177

Romero, M. S. (2024). Dancing with the Tides: Traversing the academic-life balance of student-teachers towards single motherhood and parenting pariahs. Indonesian Educational Research Journal, 2(2), 91-98. https://doi.org/10.56773/ierj.v2i2.44

Sassler, S., & Lichter, D. T. (2020). Cohabitation and marriage: Complexity and diversity in union‐formation patterns. Journal of Marriage and Family, 82(1), 35-61. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12617

Schmidt, E. M., Décieux, F., Zartler, U., & Schnor, C. (2023). What makes a good mother? Two decades of research reflecting social norms of motherhood. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 15(1), 57-77. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12488

Sick, N., Anderson, T., Green, A., Adu-Gyamfi, A., & DeMario, M. A. (2023). Considerations for postsecondary data on student parenting status. Washington, DC: Urban Institute. Retrieved from https://coilink.org/20.500.12592/48qq6s

Smith-Young, J., Chafe, R., & Audas, R. (2020). “Managing the wait”: parents’ experiences in accessing diagnostic and treatment services for children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Health Services Insights, 13, 1178632920902141. https://doi.org/10.1177/1178632920902141

Sterling, P., & Platt, M. L. (2022). Why deaths of despair are increasing in the US and not other industrial nations—insights from neuroscience and anthropology. JAMA Psychiatry, 79(4), 368-374. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2021.4209

Surrain, S. (2021). ‘Spanish at home, English at school’: How perceptions of bilingualism shape family language policies among Spanish-speaking parents of preschoolers. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2018.1546666

Thun, C. (2020). Excellent and gender equal? Academic motherhood and ‘gender blindness' in Norwegian academia. Gender, Work & Organization, 27(2), 166-180. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.12368

Tokatly Latzer, I., Leitner, Y., & Karnieli-Miller, O. (2021). Core experiences of parents of children with autism during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Autism, 25(4), 1047-1059. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361320984317

Trotter, L. (2023). ‘It has been an uphill battle from the get go’: The experiences of single parents studying at university in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 47(8), 1042-1053. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2023.2212240

Villanueva-Jaminal, M. (2024). Parents’ Challenges in New Normal Education: A Phenomenological Perspective. Open Access Library Journal, 11(7), 1-16. DOI: 10.4236/oalib.1111774

Vorobeva, P. (2023). Hesitant versus confident family language policy: A case of two single-parent families in Finland. Multilingua, 42(4), 589-619. https://doi.org/10.1515/multi-2022-0055

Wilson, S., Hean, S., Abebe, T., & Heaslip, V. (2020). Children’s experiences with Child Protection Services: A synthesis of qualitative evidence. Children and Youth Services Review, 113, 104974. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.104974

Zhao, X., & Lim, S. S. (2021). Online patriarchal bargains and social support: Struggles and strategies of unwed single mothers in China. Television & New Media, 22(7), 815-834. https://doi.org/10.1177/1527476420942743




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v12i8.6155

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2025 Breen B. Dote, Noe P. Garcia

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright © 2015-2026. European Journal of Education Studies (ISSN 2501 - 1111) is a registered trademark of Open Access Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library (Biblioteca Nationala a Romaniei). All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms. All authors who send their manuscripts to this journal and whose articles are published on this journal retain full copyright of their articles. All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).