The Relationship between Young Women’s Work-Family Orientations and Educational Transitions in Early Adulthood

Abstract

The primary aim of this paper is to examine the links between young women’s schematic configurations about work and family with their educational attainment at critical transitions of early adulthood. More specifically, as opposed to assessing the effect of educational expectations and personal background factors on educational outcomes separately or independently, the present research examines the significance of young women’s schematic profiles, that is, work-family orientations, highlighting the interconnectedness of how young women combine various attitudes and expectations about family, education, and work. Thus, this paper investigates the extent to which belonging to certain latent classes of work-family orientations are associated with the amount of education women are obtaining in early adulthood. Using data from the Relationship Dynamics and Social Life study, I examine how combinations of work-family schemas are associated with young women’s levels of education, and the role of personal background variables in shaping these work-family orientations.