| dc.contributor.advisor |
Huston , Aletha C . |
|
| dc.contributor.committeeMember |
Dix , Theodore H . |
|
| dc.contributor.committeeMember |
Kim , Su Yeong |
|
| dc.creator |
Bobbitt , Kaeley Celeste |
|
| dc.date.accessioned |
2010 -12 -22T19 :33 :51Z |
|
| dc.date.accessioned |
2010 -12 -22T19 :33 :58Z |
|
| dc.date.accessioned |
2011 -08 -16T15 :50 :42Z |
|
| dc.date.available |
2010 -12 -22T19 :33 :51Z |
|
| dc.date.available |
2010 -12 -22T19 :33 :58Z |
|
| dc.date.available |
2011 -08 -16T15 :50 :42Z |
|
| dc.date.created |
2010 -08 |
|
| dc.date.issued |
2010 -12 -22 |
|
| dc.date.submitted |
August 2010 |
|
| dc.identifier.uri |
http : / /hdl .handle .net /2152 /ETD -UT -2010 -08 -1615 |
|
| dc.description.abstract |
With more than 50 percent of mothers in the workforce by their child’s first birthday , maternity leave’s influence on mothers’ well -being and the mother -infant interaction has implications for millions of employed mothers and their children . In this study , I used data from the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care to examine the relations between variation in maternity leave benefit , length of leave , maternal well -being and mother -infant interaction within the context in which mothers make decisions to return to employment after childbirth . These associations depend on a number of important contextual factors including mothers’ subjective beliefs about the costs of employment , family structure and financial situation , mothers’ separation anxiety , and their commitment to work , all of which have important implications for both family and policy . The financial benefit that mothers use during leave varied positively with their socio -demographic characteristics . Paid leaves were related to shorter leaves and to fewer depressive symptoms , but had no direct relation with parenting stress or sensitivity . Mothers’ beliefs about the costs of employment , family structure and finances moderated the effects of paid leave . No direct association emerged between leave length and either maternal well -being or sensitivity , but interactions between leave length and both separation anxiety and work commitment indicated that long leaves are beneficial for only a sub -group of mothers . Results from this study indicate that individual differences are important in understanding the relations among leave type , leave length , maternal well -being and sensitivity . Consequently , effective maternity leave policy should be flexible to accommodate the varying needs of new mothers . |
|
| dc.format.mimetype |
application /pdf |
|
| dc.language.iso |
eng |
|
| dc.subject |
Maternity leave |
|
| dc.subject |
Maternal depression |
|
| dc.subject |
Early childhood |
|
| dc.title |
Early maternal employment in context : the role of maternity leave for mother's return to employment , later psychological well -being , and mother -infant interaction |
|
| dc.description.department |
Human Ecology , School of |
|
| dc.type.genre |
thesis |
* |
| dc.type.material |
text |
* |
| thesis.degree.name |
Master of Arts |
|
| thesis.degree.level |
Masters |
|
| thesis.degree.discipline |
Human Development & Family Sciences |
|
| thesis.degree.grantor |
University of Texas at Austin |
|
| thesis.degree.department |
Human Ecology , School of |
|
| dc.date.updated |
2010 -12 -22T19 :33 :58Z |
|