ERIC Number: EJ1170875
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Mar
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0012-1649
EISSN: N/A
Maternal Employment Stability in Early Childhood: Links with Child Behavior and Cognitive Skills
Pilkauskas, Natasha V.; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne; Waldfogel, Jane
Developmental Psychology, v54 n3 p410-427 Mar 2018
Although many studies have investigated links between maternal employment and children's wellbeing, less research has considered whether the stability of maternal employment is linked with child outcomes. Using unique employment calendar data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 2,011), an urban birth cohort study of largely low-income families, this paper investigates whether the stability of maternal employment in early childhood (birth to age 5) is linked with child behavior and cognitive skills at ages 5 and 9. Employment stability (continuous employment over all 5 years, low levels of job churning, longer job tenure) was linked with less child externalizing behavior, but there was little evidence to suggest stability was particularly important for PPVT and Woodcock-Johnson scores. Rather, for PPVT and Woodcock-Johnson scores, an increase in maternal employment in early childhood more generally was associated with higher scores.
Descriptors: Employment, Early Childhood Education, Child Behavior, Thinking Skills, Well Being, Low Income Groups, Intelligence Tests, Verbal Ability, Vocabulary, Mothers, Child Development, Longitudinal Studies, Comparative Analysis, Check Lists, Children
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test; Child Behavior Checklist
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A