Helping financially under‐resourced unmarried mothers move forward and flourish: Feasibility findings from an innovative coaching‐centered place‐based initiative

Abstract

Longer‐duration, holistic, cohort‐based, coach‐led interventions may be particularly effective in promoting both economic health and emotional well‐being among unmarried mothers living in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Aligning with the 1999 Centers for Disease Control (CDC) framework for program evaluation, this study presents a non‐random pragmatic feasibility trial of Moms Moving Forward (MMF), a 12‐month, community‐centered, place‐based initiative. MMF aims to improve financial stability and maternal mental health by building life skills and strengthening participants' sense of community and spirituality through personalized coaching, targeted workshops with local partners, and sisterhood‐building activities. One hundred mothers across six cohorts enrolled in MMF over 3 years, of whom 72 completed the program. Participants provided pre‐ and post‐self‐report measures of demographics, financial health (credit scores, wages), mental health (anxiety, depression, stress, self‐esteem), and desired and obtained life skills. A holistic indicator of progress was captured using the 2016 EMPath Bridge to Self‐Sufficiency ® , with scores self‐determined alongside life coaches. Results indicated improvements in credit scores, wages, and advancement across all Bridge domains, alongside reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress. Participants reported increased life skills and high program acceptability. Continued evaluation using rigorous designs will be critical to assess efficacy and support future scaling.