Mothers Perception on Maternal Employment and Its Impact on Mother- Child Relationship and Child’s School Competence
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Date
2014-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study investigated mothers’ perception of the impact of maternal employment on motherchild
relationship and children’s school competence. The study employed mixed method research
design particularly sequential explanatory design. A sample consisted of 100 mothers (50
employed and 50 none employed mothers) selected using stratified random sampling with
average age of 35.86 and standard deviation of 5.7 was used. Likert type questionnaire and
interview guide developed by the researcher were used to generate data. The composite scores
for the dependent and independent variables were determined by computing the responses of
research participants to individual items included in the questionnaire.. Frequency count was
made for mothers’ evaluation of their children’s school competence. To test the first and the
third research questions, independent sample t-test and one way ANOVA were used because the
composite score determined on the dependent variable, mother-child relationship, was
continuous. The mean difference between employed and non-employed mothers was analyzed
using independent samples t –test whereas one way ANOVA was used to test mean difference
between respondents of different educational background with regard to mother-child
relationship. To test the second and fourth research questions, Chi square analysis were used.
Here, frequency count was made for the dependent variable the second dependent variable, i.e.,
mothers’ judgment of children’s school competence. Qualitative data were also collected and
analyzed thematically. The interviews were transcribed and coded. Themes were identified and
proper analysis was made in line with them. The result of independent sample t-test and one way
ANOVA revealed that there is no significant difference in mother- child relation between
employed and unemployed mothers. Similarly Chi-Square result also indicates no significant
difference in mothers’ judgment about children’s school competency between the two groups.
Similarly, the qualitative data revealed that employed and non-employed mothers are not
different in both mother-child relationship and in their evaluation of children’s school
competence. Hence, it can be concluded that maternal employment or unemployment was not a
factor that plays a role in determining the nature of mother-child relationship and in children’s
school competence. Generally, based on the findings recommendations and suggestions were
forwarded to employed and non-employed mothers themselves, schools, community based
organizations (CBOs), health workers and child centers, child and youth Affairs, women's Affair
and all Medias.
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Keywords
Child Relationship