UNDERSTANDING EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES OF SINGLE MOTHERS USING NARRATIVE GROUP THERAPY

Playing the role of a single parent is a challenging experience especially when women lead the family. Some of the challenges faced by single mothers include: raising children without a partner, the need to play the role of the partner as well as their own, working long hours to provide the financial needs of the family, balancing between work and family, and facing societal stigma. This study focuses on understanding the emotional experiences of single mothers who participate in group therapy. They receive financial aid from the Malaysian government were invited to attend in the group therapy facilitated by a professional counsellor. Twenty-four single mothers agreed to participate in group therapy. Of that number, only four single mothers agreed to be interviewed. Using a phenomenological approach, an in-dept interview was conducted with a representative of four single mothers. Participants' art works and journal entries prepared during the group therapy, as well as researchers' field notes, were also used to triangulate and support the thematic results of the interview. Two main themes emerged from the data analysis: (1) emotional disturbances, and (2) life without meaning. Result of the study show that narrative therapy helps single mothers in managing their emotional experiences