Hwang Woosang, Jung Eunjoo
Aging Studies Institute, Syracuse University, NY, USA.
Department of Human Development and Family Science, Syracuse University, NY, USA.
J Fam Econ Issues. 2020 Mar;41(1):158-171. doi: 10.1007/s10834-019-09647-x. Epub 2019 Sep 21.
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.
利用脆弱家庭与儿童福祉研究数据集，我们考察了非标准工作时间表对产后一年未育有伴侣母亲的工作-家庭冲突与育儿压力之间关联的调节作用。进行了多组分析，以检验一个潜在连续变量（工作-家庭冲突）与观察到的分类变量（四种工作时间表类型：工作日白天、周末白天、工作日夜间和周末夜间）之间的相互作用。结果表明，无论工作时间表如何，未育有伴侣母亲的工作-家庭冲突与她们的育儿压力呈正相关。此外，未育有伴侣母亲的非标准工作时间表调节了工作-家庭冲突与育儿压力之间的关联。然而，与我们的预期相反，与在周末白天工作的未育有伴侣母亲相比，在夜间工作的未育有伴侣母亲中，工作-家庭冲突对育儿压力的负面影响得到了缓解。这一结果表明，夜间工作可能是未育有伴侣母亲平衡工作和家庭生活的一种策略。具体而言，通过使用非正式的照料支持，未育有伴侣母亲可以通过非标准工时工作来从育儿中得到喘息。从研究人员和政策制定者关注未育有伴侣母亲的工作和育儿问题的重要性方面讨论了相关影响。
