Appendix A: Notable Information and Resources

While researching, our team came across additional relevant information that might be useful to our client. Included below are:

• Additional information from sources seen in the analysis section.

• Relevant statistics and demographic information

• Extra resources to explore when marketing the group on social media.

 

Population Statistics: Impact on Relevant and Relatable Content

To better suit the needs of prospective and current group members, our client may find demographics and statistics of Marion County a useful source of information. Interestingly, Marion County has a higher percentage of single parents than the rest of the state by almost 2%. The demographic statistics provided may assist our client when creating relevant lesson plans and choosing speakers that are relatable to current and new members.

 

Annotated Bibliography: Persuasive Resources and Research Data

When researching scholarly articles, our team found studies conducted on groups of single mothers showing the effect of community-based support groups. These reliable sources would be persuasive information to present on social media pages when marketing the group. Attached below are the sources along with brief abstracts explaining the studies.   

 

Lipman, E. L., & Boyle, M. H. (2005). Social support and education groups for single mothers: A  ....randomized controlled trial of a community-based program. CMAJ, 173(12), 1451–1456. ....https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.050655

 

ABSTRACT: The researchers recruited 116 single mothers using advertisements in the community to participate in a randomly assigned study. These mothers often reported mental health and financial issues. The single mothers were either to join in on 10-week long group sessions, or to simply receive a list of community resources followed by the option to join group sessions after the follow-up stage. The 10-week group sessions would last an hour and a half a week and offer education along with social support. Researchers conducted a baseline and 3 different follow-up assessments to collect data from all of the mothers. This data was measured through self-reporting the mother’s mood, social support, parenting, and self-esteem. The program was offered to 9 separate groups of mothers over the course of 3 years. The study found that the group sessions with education and social support had a short-term effect not on parenting and social support, but primarily on mood and self-esteem.

  

Lipman, E. L., Waymouth, M., Gammon, T., Carter, P., Secord, M., Leung, O., Millis, B., & Hicks, F. ....(2007). Influence of group cohesion on maternal well-being among participants in a ....support/education group program for single mothers. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, ....77(4), 543–549. http://ulib.iupui.edu/cgi-bin/proxy.pl?url=http://search.proquest.com.proxy.ulib.uits.iu.edu/scholarly-journals/influence-group-cohesion-on-maternal-well-being/docview/61355782/se-2?accountid=7398

       

ABSTRACT: Through the use of group cohesion assessments, researchers observe how parenting and well-being of single mothers correlates with social support groups. The authors claim that single mothers are at a higher risk for psychosocial disadvantage such as social isolation and mental health issues. The mothers attend community centered support groups with an education component. The study found long-term and short-term positive outcomes associated with community centered support groups.

 

Muarifah, A., Widyastuti, D. A., & Fajarwati, I. (2019). The effect of social support on single ....mothers’ subjective well-being and its implication for counseling. Jurnal Kajian Bimbingan Dan ....Konseling, 4(4), 143–149. https://doi.org/10.17977/um001v4i42019p143

 

ABSTRACT: In Bantul regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, one hundred fifty-nine single mothers were involved in a correlational study looking at how social support affected their well-being. The data was determined using quota sampling and social support and well-being scales. The study found that single mothers’ well-being was pointedly affected by their social support. The study further suggested the data can be used as proof that social support is vital to single mothers to achieve well-being. The study suggests that a community psychoeducational service is required to boost single mothers’ social support. This can be achieved using support groups or counseling services targeted towards single mothers.

 

Support Group Psychology: Marketing to Hesitant Prospective Members

Additionally, our group found useful insight on the psychology surrounding support groups and people's reluctance to join. Dr. Santulli addresses concerns members may have such as anxiety surrounding how others perceive social support, appearing vulnerable to friends and family, and guilt about spending time away from family, or in this case, their children. These may be topics that arise when explaining to single mothers why support groups are important and a valuable use of time. 

 

Social Media: Best Times to Post

When marketing on social media, timing is key to ensure maximum visibility. While this is dependent on the demographics of the group being posted on, generally the best time to post on Facebook groups is later in the week. According to studies done by Buffer, Hubspot, TrackMaven, and CoSchedule, the best times to post are:

• 1pm-3pm during the week and on Saturdays (Buffer)

• 1pm-3pm Thursdays and Fridays(Hubspot)

• 8pm on Thursdays (TrackMaven)

• 1pm-4pm late in the week and on weekends(CoSchedule)

 

Important Local Resources: Mom Groups on Facebook

Our team was able to get a decent amount of our survey responses from mom groups on Facebook. These local groups may be an area our client could look at marketing the support group:

• Indy Moms 2.0

• Z’ville Moms

• Fishers Indiana Moms Group

• Indianapolis Young Moms

• #SingleMothersRock