Effects of employment on mothers and their children after disruption of the family

ABSTRACT

To assess the effects of employment status of mothers on them and their children after the disruption of their family. A comparative study. This study was conducted in Karachi from Jan 1999 to Jan 2001. After literature review it was hypothesized that 1] Divorced working mothers will score low on the Variables of depression, anxiety and schizophrenic thinking as compared to divorced non-working mothers, 2] Children of divorced working mothers will have. a] High self-esteem and high need for achievement as compared to children of divorced non-working mothers. b] Low scores on the variables of aggression and depressed mood as compared to children of divorced non-working mothers. First sample of divorced mothers consisted of 30 mothers [15 working and 15 non-working] who have received divorce only a year back and were living with their parental family. Their age ranged from 18 to 35 years. Both the groups were matched on the variables of age, education, socioeconomic class and number of children. Second sample consisted of children of divorced mothers [15 children of working mothers and 15 children of non-working mothers] and age range of the children was between 6 years up to 12 years. IPAT-Anxiety scale, IPAT-Depression scale and Whitaker index of schizophrenic thinking were administered on mothers and Children Apperception Test [CAT] was also administered individually on children. t-test was applied to calculate the mean difference on different variables between above mentioned groups of children and women. Results indicated the significant difference between divorced working women and non-working women in the level of depression [t=2.88, df=28, p<0.003] and anxiety [t=2.16, df=28, p=0.02]. Insignificant difference between these two groups was found on Schizophrenic thinking [t=1.46, df=28, p=0.07]. Self-esteem of children of divorced working mothers is higher than children of divorced non-working mothers [t=3.72, df=28, p<0.0004]. While depress mood, aggression and need for achievement in children of both mothers did not differ. The study shows that employment affects the level of depression and anxiety in divorced mothers and it also affects the self-esteem in their children. Although there are no significant differences found on schizophrenic thinking in divorced working and non-working mothers and also depress mood, aggression and achievement in children of both mothers did not differ