Attitudes of new immigrant and veteran-resident Israeli divorced mothers toward single motherhood

The aim of the study is to compare the attitudes of immigrant and veteran-r esident divorced mothers toward single motherhood. The comparison focuses o n two dimensions: personal attitudes and perceived social attitudes. Respon dents included 100 divorced mothers who emigrated from the former Soviet Un ion after 1989 and 100 long-term Israeli divorced mothers. The immigrant divorced mothers, often having divorced following disagreemen t over the decision to emigrate, are forced to undergo parallel adjustment processes to a new society and to the new lifestyle inherent in single-pare nt households. Additionally, they are caught between attitudes toward singl e parenthood in their culture of origin, where divorce is common, and in Is raeli culture, where the family plays a much more stable and central role. Results show that veteran-resident divorcees express significantly more fav ourable personal attitudes toward single motherhood, while immigrant divorc ees perceive social attitudes as being more favourable. Immigration was fou nd to affect personal and perceived social attitudes significantly, above a nd beyond demographic attributes.