A study on work-life balance for single mothers

2014 ◽  
pp. 165-169
Author(s):  
Chinatsu Mizuno
Keyword(s):  
Single Mothers ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Life Balance

scholarly journals Single Mothers’ Perspectives on the Combination of Motherhood and Work

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 85
Author(s):  
Dries Van Gasse ◽  
Dimitri Mortelmans
Keyword(s):  
Single Mothers ◽  
Family System ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Role Strain ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Financial Strain ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Research Population ◽  
Work Family

This study aims to define the perspectives taken by single mothers when combining work and motherhood in a stressful work–life constellation. One of the challenges for single mothers after divorce is to find a work–life balance in their single-parent family system. Regarding work-life balance, we take a General Strain Perspective, describing the work-life conflict as a combination of financial strain and role strain. We argue that both strains are the most problematic for single mothers in comparison to their married and/or male counterparts, as both finances and parenthood ideologies are more under pressure. For this reason, we explore how single mothers coped with this strain, answering the question: ‘Which perspectives on the combination motherhood and work do single mothers take in their attempt to balance role strain and financial strain after divorce?’ To answer this research question, we used a qualitative approach, based on 202 in-depth interviews with single mothers in Belgium. These interviews involved two groups: A primary research population of 13 single mothers and an elaborative research population of 189 single mothers. Timelines were used to structure the single mothers’ narratives. The analysis resulted in the contruction of a typology of four different perspectives based on how single mothers dealt with maternal role strain and financial strain: the re-invented motherhood perspective, the work-family symbiosis perspective, the work-centered motherhood perspective and the work-family conflicted perspective. We found that perspective of single mothers in their work-life strain can be described by the flexibility and/or strictness in either their motherhood ideology and/or their work context. These results point at the needs for policymakers, employers, and practitioners to focus on initiatives improving the work–life balance of single mothers by reducing financial and role strains.

Gezin en arbeid in je eentje

2011 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Kruyfhooft ◽  
Dimitri Mortelmans
Keyword(s):  
Single Mothers ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Single Parents ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Family Role ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Mothers And Fathers ◽  
Combination Strategies ◽  
Family And Work

Family and work on your own. The combination strategies of single mothers and fathers Family and work on your own. The combination strategies of single mothers and fathers Due to demographic changes, the situation of single parents has received a lot of attention in public debate and new policies. Nevertheless, little scientific information is available on the daily life and social conditions of single parents. In a dual parents household, previous research found two types of strategies to find a work-life balance. First, one can choose to intervene in the work role: the parent can reduce, adjust or end his/her working schedule. Second, one can adjust their family role by outsourcing a part of his/her family role. However, the question remains which strategies single parents use to find a work-family balance. Using 28 biographical interviews, this qualitative research focused on the daily life of single parents in Flanders and their search for a work-life balance. The results suggest four types of single parents, based on criteria such as job satisfaction, feelings of guilt, educational problems, and socio-economical characteristics. This article will discuss for each of these four groups the strategies they use to (re-)find balance in their work-life conflict.

Entwicklung und Validierung der Trierer Kurzskala zur Messung von Work-Life Balance (TKS-WLB)

Diagnostica ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 134-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Syrek ◽  
Claudia Bauer-Emmel ◽  
Conny Antoni ◽  
Jens Klusemann
Keyword(s):  
Family Conflict ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Work Life Balance ◽  
Work Family Conflict ◽  
Family Conflicts ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Reliabilität Und Validität ◽  
Work Family

Zusammenfassung. In diesem Beitrag wird die Trierer Kurzskala zur Messung von Work-Life Balance vorgestellt. Sie ermöglicht eine globale, richtungsfreie und in ihrem Aufwand ökonomische Möglichkeit zur Erfassung von Work-Life Balance. Die Struktur der Skala wurde anhand zweier Stichproben sowie einem zusätzlich erhobenen Fremdbild untersucht. Die Ergebnisse der Konstruktvalidierung bestätigten die einfaktorielle Struktur der Skala. Die interne Konsistenz der Skala erwies sich in beiden Studien als gut. Zudem konnte die empirische Trennbarkeit der Trierer Work-Life Balance Skala gegenüber einem gängigen Instrument zur Messung des Work-Family Conflicts ( Carlson, Kacmar & Williams, 2000 ) belegt werden. Im Hinblick auf die Kriteriumsvalidität der Skala wurden die angenommenen Zusammenhänge zu arbeits-, nicht-arbeits- sowie stressbezogenen Outcome-Variablen nachgewiesen. Die Eignung der Trierer Work-Life Balance Kurzskala zeigt sich auch daran, dass die Korrelationen zwischen den erhobenen Outcome-Variablen und dem Work-Family Conflict und denen der Trierer Work-Life Balance Skala ähnlich waren. Überdies vermochte die Trierer Work-Life Balance Skala über die Dimensionen des Work-Family Conflicts hinaus inkrementelle Varianz in den Outcome-Variablen aufzuklären. Insgesamt sprechen damit die Ergebnisse beider Stichproben für die Reliabilität und Validität der Trierer Work-Life Balance Kurzskala.

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