Maternal employment and the quality of daily experience for young adolescents of single mothers.

Abstract

The relationship of maternal employment to subjective states, self-esteem, and parent-child experience was examined for 55 5th through 9th grade children of single (divorced, separated, or widowed) mothers. Significant relationships primarily were due to differences between children of full-time employed and nonemployed mothers, with full-time employment linked to more positive experience. Full-time maternal employment was related to higher self-esteem and to more positive daily affect and arousal. Although maternal employment was not related to percentage of time spent with mothers or the overall closeness of the parent-child relationship, it was related to more positive affect with mothers, more time spent with fathers, and a greater perception of friendliness with fathers.