Personality and resilience: Enhancing well-being and reducing negative emotions among working mothers

Abstract

Working mothers experience a range of emotions associated with parenting while employed. Like all parents, working mothers experience both positive and negative emotions, often existing side-by-side. Despite considerable research into the struggles experienced by working mothers, little is known about negative emotions and their consequences for women. Feelings of employment-related guilt and regret over the decision to become a mother may arise when work and family responsibilities are demanding. However, individual resources may play a role in how mothers deal with negative emotions. The aim of the current study was to examine the role of resilience as a mediator between personality traits and negative emotions, psychological health, and well-being among working mothers. Participants of the study consisted of 320 working mothers with a mean age of 39.6. A proposed model was tested using path analysis in AMOS 21. According to the results of the present study, extraversion, neuroticism, and openness to experience are related to resilience; resilience is related to regret, depression, and life satisfaction. Resilience helps working mothers to deal with negative emotions related to well-being including stress, anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction.

Keywords:

• Resilience
• personality
• guilt
• regret
• well-being

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Doruk Uysal Irak

Dr. Doruk Uysal Irak is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the Mount Allison University. She is an industrial and organizational psychologist and completed her PhD at Carleton University. Dr. Uysal Irak has two lines of research. The first one focuses on the work-family interface, which investigates the topics of work-family conflict, employed parents, and well-being at the workplace. The second line of research focuses on personality in the workplace. She studies the role of traits on organizational outcomes such as turnover intentions, job satisfaction, and person-environment fit.

Funda Bozkurt

Funda Bozkurt earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. She is currently continuing her PhD studies in Counseling Psychology at Bahçeşehir University and working as an adjunct lecturer at the same university. Her primary research interests include resilience, emotion regulation, well-being, and mindfulness.

İrem Burcu Kurşun

Irem Burcu Kursun earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at Bahçeşehir University. She is working as a Clinical Psychologist in a private clinic in Istanbul.