The link between nonstandard work and parental distress among new parents: Coparenting as a moderator

IF 1.7 3区社会学 Q2 FAMILY STUDIES

Family Relations Pub Date : 2025-01-29 DOI:10.1111/fare.13144

Ruiqi Feng, Douglas M. Teti

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

The present study examines the link between nonstandard work schedules and parental distress in mothers and fathers during the transition to parenthood, examining coparenting as a moderator.

Background

Existing research suggests negative effects of nonstandard work schedules on employees' health. Such impact may be particularly strong among parents transitioning to parenthood, when family stress is high. Very little work has been done examining these linkages in mothers and fathers transitioning to parenthood.

Method

Parental reports of coparenting quality and distress (depressive, anxious, and hostile symptoms) were assessed in 124 parents at 6 months postpartum. The mean numbers of nonstandard work shifts were assessed at 1, 3, and 6 months. Multiple regression was conducted to test hypotheses.

Results

Coparenting quality moderated the link between nonstandard work and distress only among mothers. Mothers working more nonstandard schedules had higher distress, but that link was attenuated when coparenting quality was high. Among fathers, only coparenting quality was associated with lower distress. Prenatal to postnatal change in nonstandard work was statistically controlled.

Conclusion

Higher coparenting quality serves as a protector of the impact of nonstandard work schedules on maternal distress for first time mothers, and mothers were more impacted by nonstandard work schedules than fathers.

Implications

Mothers in the early postpartum are particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of nonstandard work on overall well-being. Fathers' involvement and support appears to be critically important in helping mothers adapt to the stress of nonstandard work when adjusting to new parenthood.

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来源期刊

Family Relations Multiple-

CiteScore

3.40

自引率

13.60%

发文量

164

期刊介绍： A premier, applied journal of family studies, Family Relations is mandatory reading for family scholars and all professionals who work with families, including: family practitioners, educators, marriage and family therapists, researchers, and social policy specialists. The journal"s content emphasizes family research with implications for intervention, education, and public policy, always publishing original, innovative and interdisciplinary works with specific recommendations for practice.