THE ROLE OF SOCIAL SUPPORT IN PARENTING FOR LOW-INCOME, SINGLE, BLACKMOTHERS

Using data from an ongoing study of single black mothers, we investiga ted the relationship of mothers' symptoms of depression and aspects of social support to parenting stress and children's behavior problems. Greater availability of instrumental social sup port exacerbated the e ffects of depression on parent stress, which, in turn, led to more chi ld behavior problems. Also affecting child behavior were the presence of a grandmother in the household and less frequent contact between th e nonresident father and child. Employed mothers were more likely to s hare a residence with the child's grandmother. Employment, in turn, wa s associated with higher income, but no less financial strain. However , a marginally significant, and negative, correlation between financia l strain and mother-grandmother cohabitation was evident.