Abstract
This article provides the socioeconomic contexts in Asia and summarizes findings of the nine articles in this special issue that examine the trend and patterns of one-parent families in Asia and the consequences of such family structure for children’s well-being. In Asia, out-of-wedlock births remain uncommon to date. Divorce and migration are the major causes of one parenthood. The articles present diverse forms of one-parent families in Asia and show how culture and policies shape the experience of growing up with one parent. Although children living with one parent often face challenges, depending on gender and socioeconomic status of the lone parent, and the causes living with one parent has varying consequences. Public assistance for lone parents are typically limited in Asia, and extended families may play a bigger role in the lives of lone parents and their children in some countries than in Western societies. Theoretical implications are discussed.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Saharah Bte Abubakar provided helpful research assistance for this special issue.
Hyunjoon Park acknowledges support of Visiting Senior Research Fellowship within the Changing Family Cluster at the Asia Research Institute (ARI), National University of Singapore (NUS), which helped plan with Jean Yeung the international conference, Growing Up In One-Parent Family in Asia, where papers in the current special issue were presented.
We would like to thank Walter Schumm and Katherine Parks for their help in making the publication of this special issue possible.
