Research Centre for Health Promotion, Christiesgt. 13, Bergen N-5020, Norway.
Glob Health Promot. 2009 Sep;16(3):6-16. doi: 10.1177/1757975909339764.
Many European mothers, single and coupled, combine work outside the home and family life. The effects of this on their mental well-being may vary depending on the level of support available from the State's welfare system, since welfare may buffer working mothers from some of the stress that can arise from trying to manage significant responsibilities on the job and at home. Welfare may be especially important for single working mothers, for whom the burden of multiple roles may be even heavier. The present study assessed levels and predictors of well-being of single and coupled employed mothers in Greece, Portugal and Spain, where welfare support is relatively limited. Results were compared to a parallel study with data from Denmark, Norway and Sweden, where welfare support is relatively comprehensive. Coupled mothers in Scandinavia had significantly lower financial hardship, longer education, higher life satisfaction, more enriching jobs, practical support, financial support and social participation than coupled mothers in the Southern European sample. On the other hand, the Scandinavian coupled mothers had higher levels of work family conflict than coupled mothers in Southern Europe. Single mothers in Scandinavia, compared to single mothers in Southern Europe, had significantly longer education, higher life satisfaction and positive affect, more enriching jobs, confidant support, practical support, financial support and social participation. Level of job stress was the same for all mother groups. All groups differed significantly from each other in level of financial hardship, with Scandinavian coupled mothers being best off, followed by Scandinavian single mothers, Southern European coupled mothers, and Southern European single mothers. The regional differences suggest that single motherhood per se need not be a risk factor for poorer well-being, and that welfare policies may have a protective effect for the mental well-being of single mothers.
许多欧洲母亲，无论是单身还是已婚，都兼顾家庭生活和工作。这种情况对她们的心理健康的影响可能因国家福利体系提供的支持水平而异，因为福利可能会减轻工作母亲在工作和家庭中承担重大责任时所面临的一些压力。福利对单身工作母亲来说可能尤为重要，因为她们承担的多重角色的负担可能更重。本研究评估了希腊、葡萄牙和西班牙单身和已婚就业母亲的幸福感水平及其预测因素，这些国家的福利支持相对有限。研究结果与来自丹麦、挪威和瑞典的平行研究进行了比较，这些国家的福利支持相对全面。与南欧样本中的已婚母亲相比，斯堪的纳维亚的已婚母亲经济困难程度较低、受教育程度较高、生活满意度较高、工作更充实、获得实际支持、经济支持和社会参与度更高。另一方面，斯堪的纳维亚已婚母亲的工作与家庭冲突水平高于南欧已婚母亲。与南欧单身母亲相比，斯堪的纳维亚单身母亲受教育程度更长、生活满意度和积极情绪更高、工作更充实、获得知己支持、实际支持、经济支持和社会参与度更高。工作压力水平对所有母亲群体都是相同的。所有群体在经济困难程度上存在显著差异，斯堪的纳维亚已婚母亲的情况最好，其次是斯堪的纳维亚单身母亲、南欧已婚母亲和南欧单身母亲。这些地区差异表明，单身母亲本身不一定是幸福感较差的风险因素，福利政策可能对单身母亲的心理健康具有保护作用。
