Factors associated with cognitive failure among mothers involved in child care

Figures & data

Table 1. Characteristics of participants (N = 310)

Participants’ characteristics	Mean (SD) or n (%)
Mother’s age (year), mean (SD)	35.6 (4.5)
Age of youngest child (month), mean (SD)	45.1 (20.8)
Number of children (one), n (%)	133 (42.9)
Employment status, n (%)
Full-time worker	155 (50.0)
Part-time worker	44 (14.2)
Unemployed	111 (35.8)
Sleep duration in a day (minute), mean (SD)	395.3 (69.8)
Time for leisure activity in a day (minute), mean (SD)	87.5 (74.9)
Fatigue^1) (point), mean (SD)	5.2 (1.3)
Emotional support^2) (no support), n (%)	13 (4.2)
Instrumental support^2) (no support), n (%)	16 (5.2)
Childcare services^3) (not used), n (%)	48 (15.5)
Neuroticism^4) (point), mean (SD)	4.4 (1.1)
Extraversion^4) (point), mean (SD)	4.1 (1.3)
Openness^4) (point), mean (SD)	3.7 (1.1)
Agreeableness^4) (point), mean (SD)	4.8 (1.0)
Conscientiousness^4) (point), mean (SD)	3.8 (1.2)
Cognitive failure^5) (point), mean (SD)	33.8 (11.1)

Notes. ¹⁾ Overall feeling of fatigue was assessed based on seven response options (0 to 6 points). The higher the score, the greater the fatigue. ²⁾ To assess social support, we created two subscales: Emotional Support (including “Do you have someone who you consult with in case of trouble”) and Instrumental Support (including “Do you have someone who helps with child care”). Participants were asked whether they received such support from the husband, parents, and friends. ³⁾ We asked whether participants used any of child care services (e.g., authorized nursery school, non-authorized nursery school, kindergarten, babysitter, housekeeping service. ⁴⁾ We administered the Japanese version of the Ten-Item Personality Inventory to measure the big five personality traits; namely, neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. ⁵⁾ Cognitive failure was measured using the 15-item Japanese version of Short-Inventory of Minor Lapses (range: 15 to 75 points). A higher score indicates a higher degree of cognitive failure.

Table 2. Correlation matrix for variables used in the regression analysis in the present study (N = 310)

		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
1	Cognitivefailure	–
2	Mother’sage	.04	–
3	Age ofyoungestchild	−.08	.21**	–
4	Numberof children ^1)	.11*	.18**	−.01	–
5	Employ ment status ^2)	.02	−.04	−.01	.02	–
6	Sleep durationin a day	−.17**	−.01	.08	−.07	−.01	–
7	Time forleisure activityin a day	−.09	−.07	.08	−.03	.35**	.05	–
8	Fatigue	.32**	−.02	−.18**	.03	.04	−.21**	−.16**	–
9	Emotionalsupport ^3)	−.20**	−.06	−.02	.14*	.02	.14*	.08	−.20**	–
10	Instrumentalsupport ^4)	−.12*	−.02	.06	.06	−.06	.16**	.11	−.19**	.39**	–
11	Childcareservices ^5)	−.07	.01	.18**	.13*	−.29**	.07	−.14*	−.06	.04	.02	–
12	Neuro ticism	.22**	−.06	.03	−.06	.15**	−.03	.02	.18**	.02	−.01	−.13*	–
13	Extraver sion	−.08	−.01	−.06	.17**	−.13*	.12*	−.06	−.06	.03	.01	.07	−.28**	–
14	Openness	−.01	.05	.04	.03	−.14*	−.01	−.02	−.08	.01	.07	.05	−.17**	.39**	–
15	Agreea bleness	−.18**	.01	−.01	.02	.09	−.04	.06	−.03	.09	.12*	.02	−.18**	−.04	.01	–
16	Conscien tiousness	−.19**	−.07	.01	−.01	−.10	−.03	−.08	.01	.04	−.03	.05	−.18**	.20**	.16**	.15**

Notes.

Pearson correlation coefficients stated in each cell. ** p < 0.01, *p < 0.05. 1) 1 = one, 2 = two or more. 2) 1 = full-time worker, 2 = part-time worker/unemployed. 3) 1 = no, 2 = yes. 4) 1 = no, 2 = yes. 5) 1 = not used, 2 = used.

Table 3. Factors associated with cognitive failure among mothers involved in child care (N = 310)

	β	p
Mother’s age ^1)	.02	.78
Age of youngest child ^1)	−.04	.53
Number of children	.13	.02
Employment status	.01	.96
Sleep duration ^1)	−.09	.11
Time for leisure activity ^1)	−.05	.38
Fatigue ^1)	.23	<.01
Emotional support	−.14	.02
Instrumental support	.01	.93
Childcare services	−.04	.52
Neuroticism ^1)	.14	.02
Extraversion ^1)	−.05	.46
Openness ^1)	.08	.18
Agreeableness ^1)	−.12	.03
Conscientiousness ^1)	−.15	.01
Adjusted R^2	0.18

Notes. We conducted a multiple regression analysis to explore factors associated with cognitive failure. Participant’s age, age of youngest child, number of children (1 = one, 2 = two or more), employment status (1 = full-time worker, 2 = part-time worker/unemployed), daily sleep duration, time for leisure activity, fatigue, emotional support (1 = no, 2 = yes), instrumental support (1 = no, 2 = yes), childcare services (1 = not used, 2 = used), and the five personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) were entered into the model simultaneously. Cognitive failure was measured using the 15-item Japanese version of Short-Inventory of Minor Lapses (range: 15 to 75 points). A higher score indicates a higher degree of cognitive failure. ¹⁾ Continuous variables.

Data availability statement

Data is not suitable for public deposition due to ethical concerns. Researchers who have an interest in the analysis using the data, please submit requests to the Fukushima Medical University Ethics Committee ([email protected]) for access to confidential data.