Title: Parental Stress, Mental Health, and Children's School Performance in Single-Parent Urban Families in Uganda
Authors: Mugisa James, Asingwire Richard, Kukundakwe Rebecca, Kisembo John, Anumaka Ijeoma, Businge Janice
Volume: 9
Issue: 9
Pages: 34-35
Publication Date: 2025/09/28
Abstract:
Single-parent households in urban areas face significant stressors that shape parental mental health and, in turn, children's educational outcomes. Urban living amplifies financial strain, time poverty, and social isolation, producing elevated risks for psychological distress among single caregivers. This review synthesizes literature from 2010-2025 on the relationship between parental stress, mental health, and children's academic performance in single-parent urban families. Anchored in Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and resilience models, the review identifies economic precarity, housing instability, childcare deficits, and weak social support networks as central stressors. Findings show consistent associations between parental stress and children's socioemotional adjustment, school attendance, and academic achievement. Interventions that integrate mental-health supports with economic and childcare programs demonstrate greater effectiveness than isolated measures. Recommendations emphasize school-based wraparound services, accessible parental counseling, and multi-level policy frameworks to support both caregivers and children.