Positive Parenting and Parenting Stress Among Working Mothers in Finland, the UK and the Netherlands: Do Working Time Patterns Matter?

Abstract

This study explored the effects of working time patterns on positive parenting and parenting stress, and the moderating effects of working hours, the unpredictability of work schedules, and autonomy over working time in a European context. This cross-national survey study compared Finnish (n = 337), Dutch (n = 283) and British (n = 317) mothers with children under the age of 13, using structural equation modeling with a multigroup procedure. We found a connection between working time patterns and positive parenting but the nature of the connection differed between countries. In all three countries, no relationship was found between working time pattern and parenting stress, while unpredictable work schedules were associated with both reduced positive parenting and increased parenting stress. The study contributes to our understanding of the role that country-specific socio-cultural context plays in the impact that working time patterns can have on parenting.