The aim of this study is to examine psychosocial adjustment of low-income mothers who lost their spouses at a young age. The study was conducted using a qualitative research method with a phenomenological approach. The data was collected through focus group interviews. Thirteen women between the ages of 26 and 43 participated in the study. In this study, manifest content analysis was carried out with an inductive perspective. In this scope, five interrelated themes emerged as loss, initial reactions, difficulties, coping ways, and change. For the participants, the death of their spouse was perceived as the loss of a loved one, the loss of their children’s father, a loss of security, and the loss of an abusive spouse. The initial reactions that emerged as a result were shock, helplessness, anxiety, and ambivalence. Participants faced social pressure, exclusion, parenting an orphaned child, insufficient basic life skills, and economic difficulties after their spouses’ deaths. In order to cope with these difficulties, they sought social support, applied for social assistance funds, focused on their motherhood roles, used religious coping mechanisms, and set boundaries. It was determined that participants learned new skills, gained self-confidence, and developed helping behaviors toward others during the post-loss change process. Findings revealed that participants are unable to access adequate social, economic, and psychological resources in society. This circumstance caused them to withdraw from their social environment and reevaluate their existential goals. The new identity created by these women could be interpreted as a challenge to the culture that marginalizes them.

中文翻译：

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配偶去世后的生存：对土耳其年轻和低收入母亲的现象学研究


本研究的目的是调查年轻时失去配偶的低收入母亲的心理社会调整。该研究采用定性研究方法和现象学方法进行。数据是通过焦点小组访谈收集的。 13 名年龄在 26 岁至 43 岁之间的女性参与了这项研究。本研究采用归纳的视角进行显性内容分析。在此范围内，出现了五个相互关联的主题：损失、最初反应、困难、应对方式和变化。对于参与者来说，配偶的死亡被视为失去亲人、失去孩子的父亲、失去安全感以及失去虐待配偶。结果出现的最初反应是震惊、无助、焦虑和矛盾心理。参与者面临社会压力、排斥、抚养孤儿、基本生活技能不足以及配偶去世后的经济困难。为了应对这些困难，她们寻求社会支持，申请社会救助资金，关注自己的母性角色，利用宗教应对机制，设定界限。确定参与者在失去亲人后的改变过程中学习了新技能，获得了自信，并形成了对他人的帮助行为。调查结果显示，参与者无法获得足够的社会、经济和心理资源。这种情况导致他们退出社会环境并重新评估自己的存在目标。这些女性创造的新身份可以被解读为对边缘化她们的文化的挑战。