Maternal Employment and Child Behavioral Outcomes

Abstract

This research employs the household economics approach to study the effects of maternal employment and substitute child care on the social behavior of a national sample of 4- and 5-year-old children. Mothers from the National Longitudinal Survey's youth cohort were asked to rate their child's social behavior using items from the Behavioral Problems Index. The household economics approach predicts that behavioral outcomes for children of employed mothers will differ from those of children whose mothers were not employed to the extent that the substitution of market goods and services for nonmarket goods and services is imperfect. The study tests three hypotheses analyzing the interactions of family income and emotional support level with indicators of maternal employment and use of substitute child care. In general, the findings do not support the contention that maternal employment is associated with negative behavioral outcomes for young children. The findings of this and related studies suggest redirecting the research agenda on maternal employment and families to include analyses of the beneficial aspects of maternal employment for child well-being and to develop policies designed to promote the well-being of children with employed parents.