Abstract
This study focused on investigating the resilient coping strategies of young black men raised by single mothers. I delved into the narratives about the lived experiences of young black men who were raised by single mothers. The study was located among university students in Gauteng. They were at different levels of their education. I worked with n=9 students from two universities: three from first year, three second year, and three in third or final year of their studies. Furthermore, the study investigated the risk factors that were experienced by these young black men and explored the protective resources that contributed to the promotion of resilience in the life of young black men. An interpretivist paradigm was used to gain insight into their resilient coping strategies and to explore the lived experiences of the young black men. The current study was qualitative in nature; therefore, I selected the participants purposely, based on the research questions and that they had been raised by single mothers, as well as that they attended university in Gauteng province. The study sample consisted of nine participants and data were collected through semi-structured interviews, both face-to-face and telephonically. An interview schedule was used as a guide to encourage the participants to air their views about their lived experiences of being raised in a single-mother household. In administering the semi-structured interviews, and the conversations were recorded (Pathak & Intratat, 2012) The data from the interviews were transcribed verbatim, the purpose being to assist in data analysis and presentation. Inductive thematic analysis approach was used to analyse data. The study revealed that, despite being faced by significant risk factors, the young black men had internal locus of control and they managed to demonstrate self-efficacy to surmount the challenges. Furthermore, the study also showed that the young black men identified and accessed the available resources to help them to overcome adversity. Considering the findings of this study, the recommendation is that those policies guiding the development of support programmes for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, need to be revisited in a deliberate and determined effort to make them more available and easily accessible.
Keywords: Resilience, risk factors, protective resources, internal locus of control, self-efficacy.