Single parenting: fewer negative effects of children's behaviors than claimed

In this literature review, research on single parenting is examined. Current research heavily correlates single parenting with internalized and externalized behavioral problems in children. After broader investigation it appears traumatizing events (e.g. divorce, separation) display a confounding variable which is not given adequate significance in research on single parenting. Reviewed research in which early childhood differences in children raised by dual-, or single parents were controlled for has not found behavioral differences between these two groups. In this article, research on adopted children has also been examined. Adopted children taken care off by single-, or dual parents do not show behavioral differences between each other. This suggests single parenting in itself does not have as many negative behavioral effects on children as currently claimed by researchers in western society. Researchers who find positive correlations between single parenting and negative behaviors in children do not control for events like divorce or separation, which often occur early during the childhood of single parented-, but not of dual parented children. Reviewed research on this topic strongly suggests that single parents do not need to be overly concerned about the negative effects their single parent status could have on children.