Maternal, infant, and occupational characteristics that predict postpartum employment patterns

Abstract

This longitudinal study examined maternal, infant, and occupational characteristics that predicted maternal employment in the postpartum period as a function of plan. Women were assessed at birth, 3, and 6 months postpartum. Comparison groups consisted of 91 women who planned to remain home and did so (home/home), 30 women who planned to remain home and were employed outside the home at 6 months postpartum (home/outside), 56 women who planned to work outside the home and did so (outside/outside), and 10 women who planned to work outside the home and remained home at 6 months (outside/home). Employment-related separation concerns from the Maternal Separation Anxiety Scale were higher in the home/home group than the outside/outside and home/outside groups, and there were no effects of parity, infant sex, or time of measurement on separation anxiety scores. Women in the outside/outside group scored higher on the Autonomy subscale of the Personality Research Form-E than women in the home/outside group. There were no main effects of group on infant temperament as assessed by the Infant Characteristics Questionnaire, but significant interactions showed that ratings of unpredictability by women in the outside/outside group decreased from 3 to 6 months postpartum. Infants were also rated as less dull over time. Stress and coping factors related to maternal employment and parenting may have influenced temperament ratings. Occupational characteristics did not distinguish the groups: Women cited different occupational characteristics that facilitated making their personal decision of whether to work outside the home postpartum.