Open AccessUnpartnered Mothers’ Work-Family Conflict and Parenting Stress: The Moderating Effects of Nonstandard Work Schedules
Author(s) -
Woosang Hwang,
Eunjoo Jung
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of family and economic issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.711
H-Index - 46
eISSN - 1573-3475
pISSN - 1058-0476
DOI - 10.1007/s10834-019-09647-x
Subject(s) - psychology , respite care , developmental psychology , family conflict , work–family conflict , work (physics) , medicine , mechanical engineering , engineering , nursing
Using the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study dataset, we examined the moderating effects of nonstandard work schedules on the association between work-family conflict and parenting stress among unpartnered mothers one year after childbirth. A multiple-group analysis was conducted to examine the interaction between a latent continuous variable (work-family conflict) and observed categorical variables (four types of work schedules: daytime weekday, daytime weekend, nighttime weekday, and nighttime weekend). Results showed that unpartnered mothers' work-family conflict was positively associated with their parenting stress, regardless of their work schedules. In addition, unpartnered mothers' nonstandard work schedules moderated the association between work-family conflict and parenting stress. Contrary to our expectations, however, the negative effects of work-family conflict on parenting stress were alleviated in unpartnered mothers who worked nighttime compared to those who worked daytime weekend. This result indicates that working nights can be a strategy by which unpartnered mothers can balance work and family life. Specifically, using informal caregiving support, unpartnered mothers can have a respite from parenting by working nonstandard hours. Implications are discussed in terms of the importance of researchers' and policymakers' attention regarding unpartnered mothers' work and parenting issues.