The effects of suitability for current role on the psychological well-being of employed and non-employed mothers

Abstract

It was hypothesized that mothers whose interests matched their current occupation would experience better psychological well-being and greater satisfaction with their maternal and work roles, regardless of whether their occupation was as a full-time mother or included employment outside the home. It was also predicted that suitability for current occupation would affect mothers' feelings about being separated from their children. The suitability of 29 employed and 29 non-employed mothers of young children for their current occupation was assesed on the basis of their occupational interests. Mothers who were suited to their current occupation had significantly higher levels of satisfaction with their work and maternal roles. Scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (Zigmond and Snaith, 1983) showed they were also less anxious and depressed, but these differences failed to reach significance. Employed women who were suited to their occupatiuon, and non-employed women who were unsuitred to being full-time mothers, expressed less negative feelings about being apart from their children on the Maternal Separation Anxiety Scale (Hock et al., 1989). These results suggest that suitability for their current occupation is a better indicator of those mothers who are likely to suffer psychological strain than their employment status alone