Childcare Responsibilities Research Articles

Childcare sharing and family happiness: analyzing parental and child well-being in the actor-partner interdependence model.

The exploration of the relationship between parental and child happiness, particularly in the context of shared childcare responsibilities, has not been examined in Korean families. Using a two-wave longitudinal design and data from 1,403 families from the Panel Study on Korean Children, this study employed the actor-partner interdependence model to examine the dynamics of childcare sharing between mothers and fathers in South Korea. Mothers' childcare sharing was found to have no significant impact on their own and their partner's happiness, reflecting traditional gender norms that undervalue mothers' contributions. In contrast, fathers' childcare sharing had a positive impact on their own and their spouse's happiness, suggesting a growing recognition of fathers' involvement. Furthermore, fathers' active participation in childcare was found to promote their children's happiness through their own happiness. This study reflects the complexity of evolving family roles and the covert persistence of traditional gender roles in modern Korean parenting. It suggests the importance of work and family policies that support changes in family dynamics by providing a more nuanced understanding of how changing family roles and responsibilities can enhance overall family well-being.

Absenteeism of Supermarket Employees in Dapitan City

This study aimed to look into the factors contributing to absenteeism and the absenteeism rate of employees among supermarket stores in Dapitan City during the calendar year of 2023–2024. The respondents of this study are the employees of the two selected supermarket stores in Dapitan City – a total of ten (10) respondents. More specifically, this study focused solely on the prominent supermarket stores in the aforementioned place with a population of not less than twenty (20) employees but not more than 60 employees. Moreover, this study has small number of respondents in compliance to the respondent’s right for voluntary participation. This study employed a mixed method approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches, which utilized interviews supplemented by questionnaires with open-ended questions to explore the underlying factors influencing absenteeism. A quantitative approach was used to ascertain the respondents’ profile and in computing the absenteeism rates. Furthermore, a qualitative approach was used to gather information and insights into the factors contributing to absenteeism through interview. The study revealed that the majority of the surveyed supermarket employees fell within the age bracket of 23 to 27 years old, where most of them are female, already married, and classified as regular workers. When delving into the realm of absenteeism, it became evident that personal adversities emerged as the pervasive theme among the surveyed employees. These adversities encompassed health-related issues such as fever, tooth extraction, dysmenorrhea, and anxiety; crisis situations that includes childcare responsibilities, important things, emergency matters, personal problem and heavy rain or bad weather condition; and also, significant life events such as birthdays and burials. The study identified the highest absenteeism rate among the ten respondents to be 38.46%. This rate corresponded to an individual who had accumulated thirty absences out of seventy-eight scheduled working days. Additionally, upon categorizing respondents based on their number of scheduled working days, four out of the ten respondents exhibited the highest absenteeism rate of 5.13%. The study concluded that employees with fewer working days are more likely to have a higher absenteeism rate compared to those with more scheduled working days.

Well-Being support by Sandwich generation in the Films Cinta Pertama, Kedua, dan Ketiga

Large families are very common in Indonesian culture. Individuals living in extended families with multigenerational childcare responsibilities are known as the Sandwich Generation. The challenges involved in multi-generational parenting impact the lifestyle of the Sandwich Generation as a whole, including personal time, career development, and financial stability. The Sandwich Generation is at risk for various mental health problems, including stress, depression, and anxiety, due to increased pressure and demands. The objective of this research is to see the picture of well-being support in the sandwich generation as reflected in the films Cinta Pertama, Kedua, dan Ketiga. The research method used to review the films Cinta Pertama, Kedua, dan Ketiga is Content Analysis by Philip Mayring with an interpretive paradigm. Abstraction, explication, and arrangement were carried out to analyze this film. There are three things that can be concluded from the content analysis of the films Cinta Pertama, Kedua, dan Ketiga. First, the dynamics of the life of the sandwich generation are described as full of problems. Second, the main character Dewa is described as having well-being support from his family. Third, the well-being support obtained cannot be separated from the standard culture that exists in Indonesia, namely Guyub, where people live in harmony and support each other as a family member.

69| J o u r n a l o f A d u l t E d u c a t i o n i n T a n z a n i aChallenges Facing Teenage Mothers Re-Admitted to Non-Formal Education System in Tanzania: Empirical Evidence from Learners at Wamo Open School, Morogoro Municipality

In Tanzania, as in many other low and middle-income countries, teenage pregnancy rates remain high, with cultural, socioeconomic and structural factors contributing to early and unintended pregnancies among adolescents. This study focused on the challenges facing teenage mothers re-admitted to non-formal education in Tanzania. The study was qualitative and employed a purposive sampling technique to select 20 participants from Wamo Open School. Data was analysedqualitatively. The findings revealed that teenage mothers re-admitted to non-formal education in Tanzania faced a myriad of challenges namely, stigma and discrimination from peers and community members, lack of financial resources, childcare responsibilities, dropout risk, and limited future opportunities. Finally, the study recommends that Wamo Open School, Morogoro Municipality should develop and implement comprehensive support services tailored to the needs of teenage mothers re-admitted to non-formal education programs. Keywords: Teenage mothers, non-formal education, challenges, re-admission, Tanzania

Normative Construction of Obligations to Balance the Parenting Roles By Working Partners in Gender Equality Perspective

One contemporary issue in family law today concerns the division of responsibilities between parents who both have jobs, particularly in balancing their roles in child rearing. The normative construction of the duty to balance parenting roles between working couples, viewed from the perspective of gender equality, needs to be addressed. The purpose of this research is to formulate normative provisions regarding the duty of balancing childcare responsibilities by working couples. This study adopts a library research method with an interdisciplinary approach, examining the problem from various perspectives, including law and gender. The research results indicate that the formulation of normative duties in childcare is not entirely adequate in protecting the rights of the child. This inadequacy leads to gender injustice, specifically the double burden placed on women. The gender injustice is also caused by the absence of clear and explicit legal provisions regulating the balancing of childcare roles by working couples. Therefore, it is proposed that the balancing of childcare roles be implemented by amending Article 45 of Law No. 1 of 1974 concerning marriage, incorporating language that mandates the duty of balancing childcare roles by working couples.

EFFECTS OF CHILDCARE, WORK, AND CAREGIVING INTENSITY ON MALE AND FEMALE FAMILY CAREGIVERS

Abstract Objectives The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System sampled 54,076 caregivers between 2015 and 2017 providing an opportunity to evaluate risk factors for poor mental and physical health among a representative sample of U.S. adult caregivers. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of childcare, work status, and intensity of caregiving among men and women caring for older adults (n = 17,271). Methods Controlling for sociodemographic factors, separate logistic regression analysis for women and men were carried out to assess the main and interaction effects of childcare, work status, and intensity of caregiving on number of poor mental and physical health days in the last month. Results Intensive caregiving demands had adverse effects on both women and men, but being in the workforce was beneficial to both men and women. Women with children at home reported adverse mental health effects but better physical health, while men with children at home reported adverse physical health effects. For women, the combination of not working, children in the household, and high-intensity caregiving were most detrimental to their mental health. Among men, those not working with children in the household, regardless of caregiving intensity, were at highest risk of adverse mental health effects. Discussion Our findings identify caregivers at high risk of adverse outcomes but also point to the need for more fine-grained analyses of how families negotiate the allocation of childcare, work, and caregiving responsibilities over time.

Asian values in Confucian masculinity: A discourse analysis of parenting advice to fathers

This article examines parenting advice to fathers published in the state-regulated English newspaper, The Straits Times, in Singapore. In November 2020, The Straits Times introduced ST Smart Parenting, with articles written as instruction guides for parents and autobiographical narratives. What is distinct about ST Smart Parenting are the articles written by and for fathers. Fathers are rarely the focus of parenting guides, as mothers have historically and in the present been positioned as having primary responsibility for childcare. Moreover, The Straits Times launched ST Smart Parenting amid two significant developments in Singapore – the publication of the White Paper for Singapore Women's Development as well as constitutional challenges to and the subsequent repeal of Section 377A. I argue that gender essentialism and heteronormativity is entrenched in parenting advice to fathers. As feminist critiques of gendered expectations make their way into public discourse, it is no longer tenable to criticize women per se or blatantly espouse practices that subordinate women and reinforce gender inequality. Consequently, parenting advice to fathers articulates the importance of fathers as benevolent providers of the family, gender differentiation in the family, and the conflation of marriage and parenthood.

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH CUSTODIAL GRANDCHILDREN RECEIVING MENTAL HEALTH CARE ASSISTANCE

Abstract The number of grandparents caring for grandchildren has increased substantially over the past two decades. Grandparent caregivers experience strain and family vulnerabilities as they face challenging child-care responsibilities, less social support, and more adverse emotional and lifestyle changes. These challenges may influence the type of support they provide to their grandchildren, affecting their grandchildren’s health and access to supportive services. In this light, research suggests that rates of service use among grandchildren are low (37% and 51% for community and school-based services) with the grandchild’s externalizing symptoms and medical/psychiatric diagnoses being the strongest predictors of such use. This paper investigates the influence of grandparent and grandchild-related factors associated with a grandchild’s receiving mental health care assistance. We examine how grandchildren’s use of counseling services affects grandparent well-being and relationship quality with the grandchild. Guided by the Pearlin stress-outcome paradigm (1990), we used data from 239 grandparent caregivers (Mage = 58.06, SD = 8.17), wherein 80 grandchildren were receiving counseling mental care and 159 were not. Predictors of well-being and quality of grandchild/grandparent relationship outcomes were regressed on the use of the counseling services, stressors (health of grandparent and problem behaviors of grandchildren), and coping resources (resiliency, self-efficacy, social support) using a SEM model with AMOS. Results indicate good model fit (CFI = 0.968; TLI= 0.959; RMSE = 0.04). Findings suggested that grandchildren’s use of mental health services influences both the quality of the relationship and the well-being of the grandparent albeit through different coping resources (grandparent’s resilience and social support).

The burden of myasthenia gravis - highlighting the impact on family planning and the role of social support.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare autoimmune disease and chronic condition that necessitates specialized care. Patients experience a significant burden of disease affecting various aspects of their lives. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of MG on family planning, challenges associated with pregnancy, childcare responsibilities and the extent to which MG patients perceive and utilize social support. This analysis used data from our main data of a large cross-sectional study built on a questionnaire-based survey encompassing 1,660 MG patients and members of the German Myasthenia Association (Deutsche Myasthenie Gesellschaft), and focused on sociodemographic, clinical and family planning relevant data points. Decisions regarding family planning were significantly impacted for individuals with MG when MG symptoms started either before or during their family planning (men: n = 19 and 29.7%; women: n = 156 and 58.4%). In this subgroup a substantial proportion opted against parenthood due to MG (men: n = 8 and 50.0%; women: n = 54 and 38.0% and/or another n = 12 and 8.4% of female participants encountered partner-related refusals). In the subgroup of female SP with MG starting before or during family planning who have reported ever been pregnant the self-reported miscarriage rate was 29.0% (n = 51). MG patients with medium incomes or moderate disease severity reported lower levels of perceived social support. 42.7% (n = 606) of participants needed assistance in negotiations with health insurers and 28.0% (n = 459) needed support for transportation to medical appointments. This study shows a significant impact of MG on family planning decisions, affecting both women and men, and often resulting in life-altering decisions such as voluntary childlessness due to MG. The significance of social support becomes evident as a vital factor, especially when navigating through the healthcare system. Tailored healthcare approaches, organized guidance and comprehensive support is needed to enable informed decision-making and offer assistance for MG patients. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03979521, Registered 7 June 2019 (retrospectively registered).

Coping with Motherhood and Education: Revealing Strategies of Student Nursing Mothers in Distance Education Programs in the Upper West Region, Ghana

This study explores the social and psychological coping strategies employed by nursing-mother students to manage the challenges of balancing their education, childcare, and family responsibilities. A case study design was employed. It adopted purposive sampling technique to select 10 respondents for interview. Semi-structured interview guide was used for the collection of data. The data were analysed using thematic analysis with the aid of Dedoose analysis software. The study found that nursing-mother students employed various social and psychological coping strategies to manage the challenges of balancing education, childcare, and family responsibilities. Socially, they increased contact hours with their children, sought help from family members, prioritized essential activities, and addressed conflicts through effective communication. Psychologically, they relied on effective communication, motivation to succeed in exams, additional studying, peer-teaching, and technology. Sleep was used as a last resort for psychological calming. These strategies helped them adjust to societal demands while continuing their education. To support nursing-mother students, two recommendations are proposed: the management of UCC study centers in the Upper West Region should establish supportive peer networks where they can share experiences and find emotional support, and integrate stress management workshops to equip them with coping strategies for balancing their responsibilities and promoting well-being.

The Urgency of Child Custody of Divorce Victims in the Perspective of Customary Law in accordance with the Civil Code

Divorce is the legal breaking of the marriage bond between husband and wife. Divorce can cause child custody issues. The purpose of this study is to discuss the position of children in marriage and child custody as a result of divorce from the perspective of customary law according to the Civil Code. This research method is normative juridical, with data search techniques through literature review of books, legal sources and relevant scientific journals. The results explain that the position of children in marriage is divided into legitimate and illegitimate children. Determining child custody is an important thing to do after a divorce to avoid disputes. Laws on marriage, divorce and child custody are contained in Law No. 1 of 1974 Chapter XI, KHI Chapter XV and the religious courts contained in Law no. 50 of 2009. According to Law No. 1. of 1974 the responsibility of caring for children is the responsibility of both parents as long as the child is under 18 years of age and the parents' rights are not revoked, and according to KHI children under 12 years of custody fall on the mother but when they become adults they can choose custody. According to the Civil Code, the court has the authority to decide whether one of the parents becomes the owner of custody by considering the child's needs and child protection. Article 230 states that parents who are unable to exercise their custody rights have a permanent obligation to provide maintenance. Whereas customary law in determining child custody takes into account kinship, the child can be the custody of the father or mother, but when he becomes an adult he returns to customary custody, but when he is young custody falls on the mother and the father is still obliged to provide for the child until he is an adult.

경찰조직의 성별직무분리 영향요인 탐색

The sexual task segregation in the police organization is an undeniable fact. This is supported by objective statistics showing that female police officers tend to be concentrated in specific departments or roles. This is becoming more pronounced due to arguments suggesting that women have lower physical capabilities compared to men and that police work is better suited for men. In addition to this, doubts about the role and identity of female police officers and a lack of trust between male and female police officers have further contributed to this clear sexual task segregation structure.
 It has a solid and closed nature, leading to gender inequality within the organization. Therefore, it’s important to conduct research on the factors influencing sexual task segregation and their impact on the job attitudes of organizational members. In particular, research should go beyond simplistic explanations based on the nature of police work and the physical differences between men and women. This is because individual differences and factors in the workplace, such as the ease of balancing roles in both home and work environments, play a significant role in the choice of jobs that facilitate work-family balance, considering factors like marriage and childbirth, household chores, and childcare responsibilities.
 This research aims to dissect the factors influencing gender-based job segregation into individual and organizational dimensions to investigate whether gender-based job segregation within the police organization is a matter of personal choice or organizational compulsion.

Childcare burden and changes in fertility desires of mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previous studies have documented a decline in fertility desires and intentions following the COVID-19 outbreak, but the reasons for this decline are not well understood. This study examined whether childcare burden on mothers during the lockdown and quarantines, COVID-related stress, and COVID exposure were associated with a change in the desired number of children. The survey was conducted online, in Poland from April to July 2021 on a sample of 622 non-pregnant mothers without diagnosed infertility. Associations were observed between childcare responsibilities during the quarantine and fertility desires: mothers who solely or mainly took care of their children during the quarantine(s) were more likely to decrease their desired number of children ([adjusted] aOR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.16-3.15). Mothers with higher levels of COVID-related stress (aOR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.48-2.22) and a greater COVID exposure index (aOR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.12-1.72) were more likely to decrease their fertility desires. Higher childcare burden during quarantines was related to a lower desired number of children among mothers. Both greater COVID-related stress and COVID exposure were associated with fertility desires, regardless of childcare responsibilities during the pandemic.

Division of Household Labour and Fertility Outcomes Among Dual‐Income Australian Couples

AbstractGender revolution theories of fertility posit that when employed women have extensive child care and household responsibilities, they opt to reduce family size. This study examines how household gender inequality influences decisions to have children. Several possible mediators, including wellbeing, relationship quality, and changes in desired family size, are examined. Results from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey show that household inequality reduces the likelihood of third births when both parents work full‐time. This is mediated by relationship satisfaction: when men contribute more to household labour, their partners are more satisfied, which is associated with increased fertility.

Support strategies are needed for women in STEM with childcare responsibilities

Support strategies are needed for women in STEM with childcare responsibilities

How New Mothers’ and Fathers’ Allocation of Tasks Relate to Their Coparenting Relationship

New parents must decide how to divide household, childcare, and financial responsibilities. These divisions can be difficult, especially when couples’ wants do not align. Interviewing ethnically and racially diverse new parents ( n = 198 couples), we explore how parents’ desired allocation of childcare, household, and financial tasks differ from perceived distribution and whether discrepancies relate to coparenting relationship quality. All parents perceived mothers doing more housework and childcare and fathers contributing more financially. When women reported doing more housework and childcare than wanted, coparenting relationship quality was lower. For women, discrepancies between what they and their partners report was associated with lower coparenting relationship quality. Findings reflect traditional gender roles among new parents and women’s desire for their partners to take on more household and childcare work. Such findings can help inform parenting interventions for new parents, encouraging communication between partners about the division of tasks to support their coparenting relationship.

Schooling-at-Home and Extra Child-Caring Responsibilities were Associated with Parental Mental Health, Psychosocial Well-Being, and Loneliness

Schooling-at-home and educating children at home have received increased attention since the COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in abrupt social changes, including stay-at-home protocols and school closures to prevent the spread of infection during the period. We examined the mental health, psychosocial well-being, and loneliness of parents according to whether they had been taking on extra schooling-at-home and child-care responsibilities. We conducted a multi-country cross-sectional online survey nine months into the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway, the UK, the USA, and Australia with a sample size of 1,722. Outcome measures included the General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12) mental health scale, the Psychosocial well-being (PSW) scale, and the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (LS). The key explanatory factor was parental and child-care status, which categorised participants based on how many extra child-care or schooling-at-home responsibilities were taken up. Moderator variables included working-from-home status, living arrangements, and demographic covariates. Our sample had 20.0% of parents who reported taking on some or half of the extra child-care responsibilities, and 11.7% reported that they were taking on most of the extra child-care responsibilities. Parents who were taking on most of the extra child-care or schooling-at-home responsibilities had poorer mental health (M = 17.34, SE = 0.40 vs M = 15.47, SE = 0.37, p = 0.002), psychosocial well-being (M = 2.92, SE = 0.05 vs M = 2.72, SE = 0.05, p = 0.011), and loneliness (M = 11.29, SE = 0.31 vs M = 10.33, SE = 0.28, p = 0.019), compared to parents who did not have extra responsibilities. Younger parents and those not living with a spouse reported poorer outcomes. Parents who reported that they were taking on most of the child-caring responsibilities reported the poorest mental health, psychosocial well-being, and highest levels of loneliness. Psychosocial and community support for parents who take on schooling-at-home and education responsibilities is important for the well-being of the parents as well as for their children.

Fathers and childcare: Are gender social norms in India changing?

AbstractThe involvement of fathers in the care of new‐borns and young children is becoming a fact of life in contemporary urban India. However, there is little empirical research on changes in the gender social norms around childcare in India. We do not know if there are some childcare responsibilities that men are happy to take on while there are others which are still considered the ‘Mommy domain’? The article is based on an exploratory research study interrogating the increasing role played by fathers in the care of their young children in urban India. Based on in‐depth interviews with two generations of fathers, it focuses on the differences in their participation in childcare activities. The study finds that both, the practice as well as the discourse concerning childcare among urban middle‐class Indians are changing and thus the gender norms for childcare responsibility can be said to be somewhat shifting for a certain class of Indian families.

Doing it all: Effects of Family Responsibilities and Marital Relationship Quality on Mothers' Ambulatory Blood Pressure.

The shared provider responsibility between married couples does not translate to equally shared division of childcare (CC) and household labor. While some marriages contain highly positive aspects, marriages may also simultaneously contain both positive and negative aspects. The negativity in these relationships can negate the positivity and could potentially lead to the detriment of mothers' health. We examined mothers' ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) associated with their marital relationship quality and perceived equity with her spouse on CC and household tasks. We investigate these associations using a mixed multilevel model analysis on a sample of 224 mothers in heterosexual marriages, all of whom had children under the age of 18 years currently living in the home. Mothers' perception of equity in the division of CC responsibilities contributed to lower ABP. Additionally, mothers in supportive marital relationships (low negativity and high positivity) had lower ABP than those in ambivalent relationships (both high negativity and positivity). There was a crossover interaction such that the effect of relationship quality on ABP was moderated by the perception of equity in the division of CC. For mothers who report doing all the CC, they had lower ABP if they had a supportive marital relationship compared with mothers in ambivalent relationships. Whereas mothers who report more equity in CC and have a supportive relationship have higher ABP compared with mothers in ambivalent relationships. This study has implications related to dynamics within marital relationships. These results demonstrate important relational influences on mothers' ABP.

Understanding the Influential Factors of Teenage Pregnancy in Kirumya Sub-county, Bundibugyo District, Western Uganda

Teenage pregnancy remains a pressing global concern, impacting public health and development on multiple fronts. This study focused on probing the specific factors contributing to teenage pregnancy in Kirumya sub-county, Bundibugyo District, in western Uganda. Its objectives centered on determining the prevalence of teenage pregnancy, identifying key contributing factors, and highlighting the challenges faced by adolescents contending with early pregnancies. Engaging fifty teenage mothers and drawing insights from ten key informants, the study employed face-to-face individual interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) for data collection. The research uncovered an alarming prevalence of teenage pregnancy, estimated at 30-40%, surpassing the national average of 25%. Several interconnected factors drove this heightened incidence, including inadequate parental guidance, limited educational opportunities for teenagers, negative cultural norms, challenging socio-economic conditions, insufficient access to youth-friendly services and contraceptives, and a dearth of supportive environments for proper child rearing and development. Furthermore, the study shed light on the significant challenges faced by teenage mothers, encompassing the weight of childcare responsibilities, parental discrimination, and a lack of spousal support. In summary, the study revealed the pronounced prevalence of teenage pregnancy in Bundibugyo District, largely stemming from social, cultural, and institutional factors. Its recommendations advocate collaborative efforts among government entities, NGOs, schools, and parents, emphasizing improved sex education, enhanced accessibility to youth-friendly services, and the establishment of comprehensive social, economic, and psychological support networks for teenage mothers navigating this intricate landscape. Keywords: teenage pregnancy, associated factors, women.