Support Needs of Divorced Mothers Living With Children:

A Comparison Study

Abstract

　This study compared the support needs of divorced mothers living with their children in four Hokuriku prefectures (Ishikawa, Toyama, Fukui, and Niigata), which have a low divorce rate, to those living in high divorce rate prefectures (Okinawa, Miyazaki, Kochi, Kagawa, and Wakayama) to determine whether such needs vary. A questionnaire survey of 218 divorced mothers living with children under the age of 18 revealed the following characteristics of mothers in the Hokuriku prefectures compared to those in the high divorce rate prefectures: (1) Better psychological adjustment and fewer difficulties with their children. (2) Difficulties in ensuring physical safety due to violence or other threat, and a high percentage of mothers who responded that they were unable to seek advice. (3) A high percentage of those who sought advice on divorce and its conditions and a high need for support regarding legal knowledge. (4) A low need for psychological support from a peer group. These results suggest that after carefully assessing violence or other threat, mothers in the four Hokuriku prefectures should be provided with information on support, with a focus on individual support centered on individual counseling.