Subjective Well-Being Among Employed Lone Mothers in Europe: the Effects of Level of Work/Family Conflict and Self-Enhancement Versus Self-Transcendence Value Orientation

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship of subjective well-being (SWB) to (1) work/family conflict, (2) self-enhancement/self-transcendence values and (3) the interaction between work/family conflict and values. SWB was represented by measures of life satisfaction (LS), positive affect (PA) and happiness. The data were from a cross-national sample (17 countries) of 484 employed lone mothers in the European Social Survey. Participants with higher levels of work/family conflict had lower levels of SWB. Participants who valued self-enhancement had lower levels of LS, but not lower levels of PA and happiness. There were no interaction effects between work/family conflict and values. The findings support the distinction between happiness and LS as separate constructs. The present results add to the literature on work/family conflict and SWB by addressing this topic in a little studied but important population segment, employed lone mothers.