Social stigma and management strategies of unmarried single mothers in Taiwan

ABSTRACT Public attitudes towards unmarried single mothers are generally negative in Taiwan, and these mothers often deal with stigmatisation and poverty. This study explores the social impacts facing unmarried single mothers and the coping strategies they take to deal with their experiences of stigma in the Taiwanese context. In-depth interviews with 30 adult unmarried single mothers and thematic analysis are adopted to collect and categorise these experiences. The study findings reveal that the challenges facing such mothers led to many becoming socially stigmatised. This study elicits the sources of this social pressure and details how the participants managed their individual situations. The findings imply that the policies and social services provided should not only aim to reduce the impact of stigma generated daily, but also to create more social and economic opportunities for this group of mothers.