Silaw Framework: A Guide for Supporting Mother-Students in Finishing College Degrees

While existing literature predominantly focuses on the barriers and high dropout rates of student-mothers, there is a critical shortage of research examining the specific developmental journey that leads to their academic and professional success. This study addresses the care-blind Universalist frameworks that often render the mechanisms of success for student-parents invisible. The study aimed to explore the lived experiences and success stories of mother-graduates to understand how they achieved academic completion. Specifically, it sought to identify the challenges encountered, examine the coping mechanisms utilized, and develop a unified framework that maps the transition from enrollment to graduation.
Utilizing a qualitative narrative inquiry design, the researcher purposively selected ten (10) mother-graduates from the Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED) program at ISPSC-Cervantes Campus who are currently elementary teachers in Quirino and Cervantes. Data were gathered through the Robot-Foto method and semi-structured interviews, subsequently analyzed through thematic analysis. The Transtheoretical Model (TTM) served as the theoretical lens to categorize behavioral and psychological transitions.
The study culminated in the development of the SILAW Framework, an original conceptual model mapping a five-phase maternal-academic transformation: (S)uspended Aspirations, (I)nternal Decisional Balance, (L)atent Persistence, (A)ctive Role Integration, and (W)orth Realized. Results reveal that participants transitioned from social evaluation apprehension to a profound realization of self-worth. Their success was anchored in militant time management and the activation of a supportive scaffold rooted in relational mobilization and structural aid.
The educational achievements of these women resulted in a significant identity transformation, shifting their status from socially marginalized individuals to respected professionals. The study concludes that degree attainment is a transformative generational investment that secures a family's socioeconomic future. Recommendations include the institutionalization of family-sensitive academic policies and enhanced institutional coordination for maternal education support.

Academic Success, Mother-graduates, SILAW Framework, Student-mothers, Transtheoretical Model

1. Abon, A. C. G., et al. (2023). Education and motherhood: Struggles of mothers in pursuit of college education. International Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities (IJSSH), 8(1), 50-58. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Abrash Walton, A., et al. (2022). The Transtheoretical Model: A critical tool for practitioners to facilitate behavior change. Journal of Behavior Change, 14(2), 112-125. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Alhadabi, A., & Karpinski, A. C. (2020). Grit, self-efficacy, and achievement-orientation goals: Predictors of academic performance. Journal of University Studies, 12(3), 88-102. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Anane, C., Adangabe, A. A., & Inkoom, D. (2021). Coping strategies and perceived support of student-mothers at the University of Education, Winneba-Campus. South Asian Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2(3), 151-169. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Anderson, M. (2021). The lived experiences of Chicana/Latina student mothers: Their motivation and persistence for academic achievement [Unpublished master's thesis]. California State University, Long Beach. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Andrade, C., Fernandes, J. L., & Almeida, L. S. (2024). Mature working student parents navigating multiple roles: A qualitative analysis. Education Sciences, 14(7), 786. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Andrewartha, L., et al. (2023). Balancing the books: How we can better support students who are parents. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 45(2), 160-173. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Ansari-Majd, M., et al. (2021). The influence of TTM-based education on the decision-making processes of women of reproductive age. Family Development Journal, 9(4), 210-225. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Aperocho, M. D., et al. (2023). Early parenthood experiences in Davao City, Philippines. International Journal of Qualitative Research, 3(2), 196-206. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Arabejo, C. O., et al. (2025). Parenting and academic experience: The dual roles of motherhood and student life. Ho Chi Minh City Open University Journal of Science-Social Sciences, 15(5), 3-18. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Asrifan, A., et al. (2025). Bridging the educational divide: Acknowledging the unique self-efficacy needs of diverse learners. Journal of Academic Equity, 11(1), 45-60. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Askelson, N., et al. (2020). Perspectives on implementation: Challenges and successes of a program designed to support expectant and parenting community college students in rural, Midwestern state. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 24, 152-162. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Baddley, C. D. (2021). Exploring student parent experiences with university policies and practices [Master's thesis, The University of Mississippi]. eGrove. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Baluyos, Q. R. C., & Alvarico, A. B. (2024). Lived experiences of student mothers in balancing motherhood and academic pursuits: A phenomenological study. SSRN 5287161. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Behrens, L., & Stykes, J. B. (2025). Stigma in student parenthood. The Measure: An Undergraduate Research Journal, 9, 6-13. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Blanton, B. (2021). Thinking for you, thinking for two: Uncovering student-parent experiences in higher education [Doctoral dissertation]. Rowan University. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). To saturate or not to saturate? Questioning data saturation as a useful concept for thematic analysis and sample-size rationales. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 13(2), 201-216. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Braund, A., et al. (2020). Grit-ability: Which grit characteristics enable success for mothers entering university? Student Success, 11(1), 22–34. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Briegel, M., et al. (2023). Barriers and supports for student-parents in higher education. Transformative Dialogues: Teaching and Learning Journal, 15(3). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Bustillo, R. C., et al. (2024). Navigating the dual roles: Understanding the unique challenges of student-mothers in pursuit of higher education. Ignatian International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 1, 58-69. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Cabulay, D. V., et al. (2025). Doble Kara: Uncovering stories of student-parents' challenges amidst education. [Unpublished manuscript]. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Campbell, J. L. (2025). What’s motivating mom: The lived experiences of single mother community college students [Doctoral dissertation]. North Carolina State University. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Cantero, J. M. E., et al. (2024). Student motherhood: A phenomenological exploration of state university students in Claveria, Philippines. [Unpublished manuscript]. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Carmichael, L., et al. (2026). Student-parents: Barriers to progression report. University of Exeter - Figshare. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Clandinin, D. J., & Connelly, F. M. (2004). Narrative inquiry: Experience and story in qualitative research. John Wiley & Sons. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. Corrente, M. (2022). Exploring the personal and professional realities of parenthood and graduate studies. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 68(3), 340-356. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: A Black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory, and antiracist politics. University of Chicago Legal Forum, 139. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. Cruse, Lindsey Reichlin, Lashawn Richburg-Hayes, Amanda Hare, and Susana Contreras-Mendez. 2021. Evaluating the Role of Campus Child Care in Student Parent Success. Washington, DC: Institute for Women’s Policy Research. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. Dasig, J. P. (2020). Challenges of student-mothers in the tertiary education of University of Perpetual Help System-DALTA. Journal of World Englishes and Educational Practices, 2(6), 29-33. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

31. DiClemente, C. C., et al. (1991). The process of smoking cessation: An analysis of precontemplation, contemplation and contemplation/action. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59, 295-304. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

32. Duffy, S., et al. (2025). Problematising the invisibility of student parents in Australian higher education. Higher Education Research & Development, 1-15. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

33. Espiritu, E. J. P., et al. (2023). Dual roles: Bearing the academic and parental responsibilities of being a student mother. Science and Technology, 6(4), 82-90. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

34. Evitts, R. (2022). The barriers of non-traditional students in higher education. [Unpublished manuscript]. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

35. Exley, B., & Willis, L. D. (2025). Spotlight on parent engagement: Relational agency for student-parent-school-community engagement. Practical Literacy: The Early and Primary Years, 30(3), 44-47. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

36. Gault, B., Holtzman, T., & Reichlin Cruse, L. (2020). Understanding the Student Parent Experience: The Need for Improved Data Collection on Parent Status in Higher Education. Briefing Paper# C485. Institute for Women's Policy Research. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

37. Gbogbo, S. (2021). Transition to parenthood in adolescence: Lived experiences in the Hohoe Municipality of Ghana [Doctoral dissertation]. Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

38. Govender, D., et al. (2020). “I have to provide for another life emotionally, physically and financially”: Understanding pregnancy and motherhood. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 20, 1-21. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

39. Greene, J., & Paul, J. (2021). Inclusion delusion: The antisemitism of diversity, equity, and inclusion staff at universities. Heritage Foundation Backgrounder, 3676(202), 1-12. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

40. Guerrero, A. (2021). Resources for college students who are parents: An insight of how higher education institutions can help families [Doctoral dissertation]. California State University, Northridge. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

41. Harcourt, K. S. (2023). “Running when everyone else is walking”: How college student mothers perceive their intersecting identities and define success [Doctoral dissertation]. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

42. Hartsoch, K. (2025). Social support as a primary predictor of career decision-making self-efficacy in student parents. Journal of Career Development, 14(2), 66-81. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

43. Hlatshwayo, M. N., & Fomunyam, K. G. (2019). Views from the margins: Theorising the experiences of Black working-class students. The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa, 15(1). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

44. Ibadullaeva, S. (2026). Navigating dual worlds: The lived realities of international graduate student parents. International Student Experiences in the United States and Canada, 63. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

45. Institute for Women’s Policy Research. (2020). Analysis of data from the National Center for Education Statistics, 2012/17. IWPR. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

46. Jones-Foster, P. J. (2022). How community college student-parents' perceptions of their external barriers influences success [Doctoral dissertation]. Northcentral University. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

47. Kava, C. M., et al. (2020). Housing as a key resource for academic success of pregnant and parenting college-aged students. Health Promotion Practice. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

48. Kelchtermans, G., & Vandenberghe, R. (1993). A Teacher Is a Teacher Is a Teacher Is a...: Teachers' Professional Development from a Biographical Perspective. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

49. Kisanga, S. E., & Matiba, F. M. (2023). Coping strategies student-mothers employ in pursuing higher education studies in Tanzania. Current Psychology, 42(5), 4143-4154. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

50. Landivar, L. C., & deWolf, M. (2022). Mothers’ employment two years later: An assessment of employment loss and recovery. U.S. Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

51. Lee, S., et al. (2021). Promoting social justice by addressing motivational needs and readiness levels using TTM. Journal of Educational Diversity, 10(2), 33-49. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

52. Lewis, N. L. (2026). Student parent: The fight for families, the cost of poverty, and the power of college. Beacon Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

53. McMillen, J. (2022). “It takes a village”: Student mothers’ experiences with barriers and support while navigating community college [Doctoral dissertation]. Northern Illinois University. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

54. Merculio, P. A., & Parina, M. (2024). Balancing parenting and teaching internship: Narrative from the parent-student teachers. International Journal of All Research Writings, 5(11), 107-116. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

55. Miller, C. J. (2022). A mixed methods study of the effects of gender integration on perceptions of women in US Army combat units [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Maryland, College Park. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

56. Montgomery, B., et al. (2025). Shifting from a care-free to a care-filled college experience. Student Affairs on Campus, 8(1), 69-79. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

57. Moreau, M. P. (2016). Gendering student parents in higher education. Contemporary issues and perspectives on gender research in adult education, 99-115. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

58. Moreira, H., et al. (2020). Academic Performance Stages of Change Inventory (APSCI): Measuring intentional academic change. Educational Psychology Review, 18(1), 77-92. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

59. Mostajo, N. (2025). Assessing the academic success factors and needs of student parents in online asynchronous graduate programs. [Unpublished manuscript]. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

60. Mutti, K. (2020). Defining the maintenance phase: Long-term success and relapse prevention in graduation. Journal of Academic Persistence, 12(4), 101-115. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

61. Nelson, B. W., Wright, D. B., Allen, N. B., & Laurent, H. K. (2020). Maternal stress and social support prospectively predict infant inflammation. Brain, behavior, and immunity, 86, 14-21. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

62. Nikiforidou, Z., & Holmes, S. (2023). Student parents or parent students in lockdown pandemic? A third space approach. Journal of Family Issues, 44(8), 2009-2024. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

63. Ntshayintshayi, P. N., et al. (2022). Exploring the psychosocial challenges faced by pregnant teenagers in Ditsobotla subdistrict. Health SA Gesondheid, 27, 1880. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

64. Ogunji, C. V., et al. (2020). Student-mothers in higher education: An exploratory study of challenges and support system for inclusion. Journal of the Nigerian Academy of Education, 15(2). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

65. Petrocelli, J. V. (2002). Processes and stages of change: Counseling with the transtheoretical model of change. Journal of Counseling & Development, 80(1), 22-30. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

66. Prochaska, J. O. (2008). Decision making in the transtheoretical model of behavior change. Medical Decision Making, 28(6), 845-849. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

67. Prochaska, J. O., & DiClemente, C. C. (1983). Stages and processes of self-change of smoking: Toward an integrative model of change. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51(3), 390–395. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

68. Prochaska, J. O., DiClemente, C. C., & Norcross, J. C. (1992). In search of how people change: Applications to addictive behaviors. American Psychologist, 47(9), 1102–1114. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

69. Prochaska, J. O., & Prochaska, J. M. (2019). Transtheoretical model. In Lifestyle medicine (3rd ed., pp. 219-228). CRC Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

70. Prochaska, J. O., & Velicer, W. F. (1997). The transtheoretical model of health behavior change. American Journal of Health Promotion, 12(1), 38-48. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

71. Pueyo, J. T. (2022). Moms too soon: Status and challenges of teenage mothers-implications for extension. Journal of International Women’s Studies, 23(6), 1–16. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

72. Rana, M., et al. (2022). Resilience among student parents in college: Voices of Latina student mothers. Research in Human Development, 19(3-4), 75-100. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

73. Rodriguez, T. L. (2024). Undergraduate student-parent experiences at the University of California, Riverside. [Unpublished manuscript]. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

74. Sallee, M. W., & Lewis, D. V. (2025). The importance of place: How state policy contexts shape student-mothers' educational experiences. The Review of Higher Education. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

75. Schultheiss, D. E. (2021). Shining light on women’s work, this time brighter: Let’s start at the top. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 126(1), 1–9. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

76. Smith, S. (2019). Student-mothers in community college: A populous and overlooked demographic in critical need for support [Unpublished master's thesis]. Northern Kentucky University. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

77. Stirling, A., et al. (2021). Understanding barriers to engagement in field placements: A TTM perspective. Journal of Experiential Education, 15(3), 202-218. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

78. Sutherland, K., et al. (2024). Learning technologies and academic self-efficacy in non-traditional students. Digital Education Inquiry, 7(1), 12-29. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

79. Sylvester, J. (2025). Narrative inquiry into the continuous negotiation of identity among non-traditional women. Journal of Narrative Research, 18(2), 55-70. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

80. Thorson, R. (2021). Self-efficacy as a psychological anchor for post-traditional student success. Psychology in Education Quarterly, 29(4), 88-103. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

81. Tighe, L. A., et al. (2024). Improving the education and wellbeing of student parents. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1532(1), 10-17. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

82. Todd, A. (2023). A practical toolkit: Eight steps to identifying, supporting and celebrating student-parents. University of Chester. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

83. Torres, R. M. V., et al. (2020). Untold stories of student-mothers’ academic journey: A phenomenology. Journal of Studies in Social Sciences and Humanities, 6(4), 158-169. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

84. Umarji, Z. (2023). Understanding the experiences and sense of belonging of student-parents during the COVID-19 pandemic [Unpublished master's thesis]. California State University, Long Beach. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

85. Varadi, A. L., et al. (2024). “I don’t really have many”: Student parents navigating social supports. Canadian Journal of Family and Youth, 16(3), 115-133. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

86. Velasquez, M. F. R. (2025). ‘The weight that we carry’: Using Photovoice to uncover student parents’ experiences [Master's thesis, The University of Texas at El Paso]. ScholarWorks@UTEP. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

87. Walia, D. (2026). The rhetorical agency of student-parents: Assembling, archiving, and naming practices that transform worlds [Doctoral dissertation]. City University of New York. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

88. Winters, L., & Poster, B. (2026). Studying for two: Applied research on undergraduate and graduate student-parents. Journal of Applied Social Science, 20(1), 3-18. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Assessment of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Repositioning TVET for Economic Development in Nigeria
• Teachers’ Use of Assure Model Instructional Design on Learners’ Problem Solving Efficacy in Secondary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya
• “E-Booksan Ang Kaalaman”: Development, Validation, and Utilization of Electronic Book in Academic Performance of Grade 9 Students in Social Studies
• Analyzing EFL University Students’ Academic Speaking Skills Through Self-Recorded Video Presentation
• Major Findings of The Study on Total Quality Management in Teachers’ Education Institutions (TEIs) In Assam – An Evaluative Study