The traditional American nuclear family consisting of a mother and father with specific roles is diminishing and being replaced. Although most Americans continue to value marriage, family life and parenting, these norms now exist within a variation of family structures and dynamics.
When compared to the United Kingdom (UK), the single-parent population in the US is greater.  Data obtained in 2005 also revealed that 69 % of the single-parent population in the US works outside of the home, as opposed to 55 % of the single-parent population in the UK. Overall, single parents in both countries work more hours outside of the home than those with partners, yet, studies reveal that they also devote more time in childcare task.

In Australia, ethical shifts have similarly resulted in escalating divorce rates, and single parent births that have led to changes in family structure, and a rise in the single parent phenomenon.   Webber & Boromeo (2005) projects that by the year 2021 there will be approximately 1.2 million Australian, single-parent families.

Studies revealed that sixty percent of Australian single mothers with young children do not acquire paid employment because of issues with securing childcare. Because of a deficiency in childcare help in some areas of Australia, women with children, (particularly younger children) are more likely to stay at home to tend to their childcare responsibilities while sacrificing their financial earnings.

The extended family continues to have a strong presence in Australia. As a result, many single parents rely on emotional and practical support from their relatives to help them manage their responsibilities. The level of support that a single parent receives nevertheless varies according to the reason for the single-parent status and the moral and religious practices within their community. Religious communities in Australia shun divorced single parents.

India is not exempted from the revolution in family dynamics and structure that the other nations have experienced due to divorce, the loss of men through death and imprisonment, absentee fathers, and other forms of family disruption.  The majority of single parent families in India are mother headed because it is not common for a mother to abandon her family.

With the father traditionally being the primary financial supporter of the Indian family, his absence results in a drastic decrease in the family’s income, and in extreme cases, poverty.  Most single mothers in India have limited education or job skills, and as a result do not acquire high-paying jobs.  In many instances, they make just enough to provide only the basic needs for their family.

Another challenge that Indian single mothers face is disciplining their children. Since the father is perceived to be the primary disciplinarian in Indian families, mothers are usually not adequately prepared to assume the disciplinarian role in the absence of the resulting in behavioral issues among the children.

The Israeli society is also making slow progress towards accepting the transition from the traditional family structure to the contemporary single-parent family. Moreover, in the last few decades more women in Israel are choosing to become single mothers by choice due to an escalating trend of single, older women opting to have babies. According to the Israel Bureau of Statistics (2003), the number of single women 40 years and over who are opting to have children is rapidly increasing.  Contrary to women who involuntarily entered into single-parenthood, Israeli women who choose to become single mothers are usually more educated, financially independent and are receive support from friends and relatives. Nevertheless, due to the religious orientation of the Israeli society and the religious laws that govern family dynamics, single mothers, regardless of the reason for the status are stigmatized and socially isolated.

Despite traditional Chinese family values, the number of single-parent families in Hong Kong has tripled in the last 10 years primarily due the rise in divorce rates. However, due to the high level of virtuousness amongst Chinese communities, and a value system regarding conflict resolution, family harmony and marital sacrifices, the single-parent family is considered problematic, broken or dysfunctional.

A high percentage of Chinese single parents are welfare dependent but are highly invested in the care and well-being of their children.  As a result, they battle with the desire to be responsible citizens versus the need to be effective parents. This leads to their continued reliance on the government to support their needs.
Today, the single-parent phenomenon has filtered into African societies for reasons that are comparable to those identified in other nations of the world.  Marriage is devalued, and extended family support for children without fathers has decreased.  Many African families now encounter family separation resulting from infidelity, and violence. In addition, widowed parents are no longer finding it easy to remarry, the rise in poverty is preventing extended families from supporting children who have lost a parent, and pregnancies outside of marriage are becoming a common practice among young women, especially educated women who view marriage negatively.  Poverty is seen as analogous to single-parenthood in Kenya, and has resulted in associated ills such as family violence and the abandonment of children, which ultimately leads to an increase in single-parent families.