働く母親の性別役割分業観と育児援助ネットワーク

Abstract

This study focuses on working mothers who are likely to experience role overload and strains as main prpviders of child care, and explores their gender orientations and informal social networks providing assistance in child care. Data were collected in 1989 using a sample of 213 mothers of nursery school children living in the Osaka metropolitan area. Mothers' gender orientations are hypothesized to affect their relationships with informal helpers in child care.Some key findings were as follows: (1) Factor analysis of ISRO (Index of Sex Role Orientation) found four factors : “division of labor by sex, ” “women being responsible for running their homes, ” “reversal of sex roles, ” “women building their careers.” (2) A higher level of instrumental support from the husband was found among mothers who internalized less the traditional sex role norms associated with “division of labor by sex” and/or “women being responsible for running their homes.” (3) A higher level of informational and emotional support from husbands' kin was found among mothers who internalized less the traditional sex role norms associated with “women being responsible for running their homes.” (4) A higher level of emotional and informational support from friends at nursery school was found among mothers who internalized less the traditional sex role norms associated with “division of labor by sex” and/or “women being responsible for running their homes.”It is concluded that for mothers, less traditional gender ideology may faciliate stronger child care support from their husbands and the non-kin network.