Abstract

Structural equation modeling was used to explore associations between maternal work-to-family conflict, maternal involvement in schooling, and academic outcomes in early adolescents. Among a subsample of 725 fifth graders (and their employed mothers and teachers) from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (NICHD SECCYD), multigroup analyses were used to explore differences in this relationship between groups with mothers working part-time versus full-time. Results revealed that among part-time employed mothers maternal involvement in school fully mediated the relationship between maternal work-to-family conflict and fifth graders' academic achievement. For full-time employed mothers, maternal work-to-family conflict was not related to maternal involvement in school or academic outcomes. These findings suggest that mothers' involvement in school may be an important way in which negative outcomes of work-to-family conflict may be minimized. Prior research has not investigated the associations between work-to-family conflict and child outcomes. The present study suggests a need to further understand how aspects of the work-family interface relate to children. Further, results suggest a need to better understand the differences in the work-family interface between families where mothers are employed part-time versus full-time.

Degree

MS

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Family Life; Marriage, Family, and Human Development

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2013-03-14

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd5988

Keywords

maternal employment, work-family conflict, parent school involvement, academic achievement, grades, part-time employment

Language

English

Share

COinS