Factors Influencing Adulthood Adversities among Low-income Women in Botswana

Abstract

Although Batswana women are vulnerable, there is little research on their lived experiences. This paper explores the childhood experiences of low-income single mothers in Botswana with the aim of understanding the psychosocial pathways that might have exposed them to risk. Utilizing a narrative research approach, face-to-face interviews were conducted with fifteen low-income single Botswana mothers. The Adverse Child Experience – International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ) provided descriptive data. Thematic analysis was undertaken of women's narratives and identified household dysfunction, abuse  and neglect to have been prevalent in their lives, and how these factors affected their life trajectories.   The narratives also indicated that the childhood adversities they were exposed to were influenced by some socio-ecological factors. Structural interventions are needed to ensure adolescents stay in school and have access to reproductive health services. Also, enhancing early family relationships that can buffer childhood adversity is an important intervention to help women onto healthier trajectories. Furthermore, there is need for early recognition of risk, and need for interventions, to address these risks.