Marital Satisfaction among Dual‐Earner Couples: Gender Ideologies and Family‐to‐Work Conflict

This study examines whether the gender ideologies of both spouses moderate how family‐to‐work conflict relates to marital satisfaction among dual‐earner couples. The authors address the research questions using data from a random sample of dual‐earner couples from the northern part of a western state (N = 156 couples). Findings indicate that husbands' gender ideologies moderate how husbands' and wives' family‐to‐work conflict relate to husbands' marital satisfaction. Additionally, husbands' gender ideologies moderate how husbands' family‐to‐work conflict relates to wives' marital satisfaction. In contrast, wives' gender ideologies do not appear to moderate how either spouse's family‐to‐work conflict relate to marital satisfaction. The implications of the study for practitioners, including explicitly talking about gender beliefs with clients and the potential promise of feminist‐informed therapy, are discussed.     

Selecting and Assessing the Family‐Friendly Community: Adaptive Strategies of Middle‐Class,Dual‐Earner Couples

Abstract: Using a life course perspective, this study analyzes the adaptive strategy of community selection utilized by middle‐class dual‐earner couples, as well as the perceived family friendliness of their communities. Although many common concerns exist (most paramount being safety, jobs, and housing quality), parents are more apt than nonparents to mention the importance of schools, parks, libraries, and community events. For women, safety and proximity to their spouses’ jobs are stronger considerations than they are for men. Although respondents mention many similar family‐friendly features, only some matter in predicting their overall positive evaluations of community family friendliness. Community is discussed as being an understudied dimension of work‐family policy and research.     

Do Job Demands Undermine Parenting? A Daily Analysis of Spillover and Crossover Effects

Using data collected over 14 consecutive days, we examined the impact of work hours and job demands on parent‐child interactions for mothers and fathers in nonprofessional couples. Wives and husbands evaluated their interactions with their children similarly, such that changes in a spouse’s evaluation of parent‐child interactions typically matched those reported by the other spouse. Greater daily work hours were related to less time spent on child care and less time spent on leisure with children, but higher positive interactions with children were reported. Greater wife perceived job demands were associated with husbands having more positive interactions with children. The findings add to our limited understanding of daily experiences of work‐family issues for parents within nonprofessional, dual‐earner households.     

New‐Concept Part‐Time Employment as a Work‐Family Adaptive Strategy for Women Professionals with Small Children*

This study investigates how the option for new‐concept part‐time (NPT) employment influences the ability of mothers of preschool children working in professional occupations to successfully integrate work and family responsibilities. Female NPT professionals (n = 279) and female full‐time (FT) professionals (n = 250) were compared. The NPT group reported 20 fewer weekly work hours and about $18,000 less estimated annual household income than the FT group. They allocated this additional time primarily to caring for and nurturing their dependent children. They also reported less job‐related travel, unnecessary work, and work‐to‐family conflict, as well as greater work‐family success, childcare satisfaction, and family success. However, NPT mothers reported a more traditional division of labor in household responsibilities and less career opportunity and work success. Implications are presented and discussed.     

Does Involved Fathering Produce a Larger Total Workload for Fathers Than for Mothers? Evidence from Norway

Objective

To compare mothers' and fathers' total workloads within couples with different work‐time arrangements in a social democratic welfare state (Norway) and explore possible changes in the 1990s and 2000s.

Background

Women's double workload in families with two full‐time jobs has been well documented. However, some argue that fathers, too, may experience the double burden of market and domestic work as they become more involved in parenting.

Method

The data are from the Norwegian Time Use Surveys conducted in 1990, 2000, and 2010 among representative samples of the adult population. A subsample of coupled other‐sex‐parents with at least one child younger than age 20 years were used in the present study. Total workload is the sum of paid and unpaid work activities reported in a time diary. Standard multivariate ordinary least square regressions were used to explore gender differences.

Results

Full‐time work for both parents entailed approximately equal total workloads for fathers and mothers. However, fathers' total workload exceeded mothers' in full‐time and part‐time couples with school‐aged children.

Conclusion

Despite equal total workloads and reduced specialization, mothers still do less paid work and more family work than fathers in couples where both work full‐time in Norway. This is partly related to the gender‐segregated labor market. In full‐time and part‐time couples with school‐aged children, fathers' longer working hours are not fully offset by more family work for mothers.

Implications

Work–family reconciliation policies promoting mothers' employment and fathers' family work may have the potential to reduce gender imbalances in parent's total workloads and moderate gendered specialization patterns.     

Caregiving work: The experiences and needs of caregivers in Australia

A considerable evidence base exists demonstrating the high prevalence of family caregiving in the community; however, there is a paucity of in‐depth research examining the impact of family caregiving on the living and employment needs of those providing this unpaid service. This study employed a qualitative interview design with purposive sampling to examine the experiences of family caregivers, in order to examine how family caregiving decisions are made, the nature and challenges of caregiving work, and living and work supports that may enhance the caregiving experience. A sample of 12 adults providing care and assistance to family members with a range of disabilities, chronic conditions and long‐term illnesses were interviewed. The results showed that family caregivers ‘fall into’ the caregiving role and often continue to provide care indefinitely without pay and with little or no financial support from others. In describing the best aspects of their experience many caregivers talked about helping their care recipient remain in their home and maintain their independence. In describing the worst aspects of their experience, all referred to the living and financial challenges of the caregiving work, and many highlighted the impact of their caregiving work on their employment and career needs. In conclusion, there is a need for public policies, programs and health services in Australia to better respond to the living, financial and support needs of family caregivers as health service providers, as well as their employment, development and career needs which are seriously impacted upon by caregiving work.     

The role of support groups in facilitating families in coping with a genetic condition and in discussion of genetic risk information

Background Giving children and young people information about genetic conditions and associated risk has been shown to be important to their identity, coping and decision making. Parents, however, find talking to their children difficult, and support from health professionals is often not available to them. Objective To explore the role of support groups in family coping, and in assisting parents’ communication about risk with children in families affected by an inherited genetic condition. Methods Semi‐structured interviews analysed using grounded theory and informed by models focusing on aspects of family communication. Participants Affected and unaffected children and their parents, from families affected by one of six genetic conditions, that represent different patterns of inheritance, and variations in age of onset, life expectancy and impact on families. Results Parents often sought support they did not receive elsewhere from support groups. They identified benefits, but also potential disadvantages to this involvement. These related to the specific condition and also whether groups were run solely by parents or had professional input. Support groups rarely helped directly with family communication, but attendance often stimulated family discussion, and they provided information that improved parents’ confidence in discussing the condition. Conclusions Support groups should be seen only as additional to the support offered by health and social care professionals. An increased understanding of the role of support groups in assisting families with genetic conditions has been highlighted, but further work is needed to explore more fully how this may be made more sustainable and far‐reaching.     

新冠疫情背景下实习后期护生职业认同现状调查

目的 分析新冠疫情背景下实习后期护生的职业认同现状及其影响因素.方法 采用护生职业认同量表和焦虑自评量表,于2020年2—3月借助问卷星平台对河南省6所院校的实习后期护生进行调查.结果 本次调查的实习后期护生职业认同总分为(66.34±12.88)分.多元线性回归分析结果显示:年龄、新冠发生后对护理职业的喜欢程度、新冠...     

A Typology of Work‐Family Arrangements Among Dual‐Earner Couples in Norway

A symmetrical family model of two workers or caregivers is a political goal in many western European countries. We explore how common this family type is in Norway, a country with high gender‐equality ambitions, by using a multinomial latent class model to develop a typology of dual‐earner couples with children based on the partners' allocations of paid and unpaid work. Using data on 2,617 respondents from the Norwegian Generations and Gender Survey, we estimate 4 classes, of which 2 are characterized by a fairly equal sharing between the partners and 2 have more traditional arrangements. Equal sharing is practiced by 4 out of 10 couples and is most likely when the partners are well educated and work regular hours and the father is in public‐sector employment. A traditional practice is likely when the partners have less education, the mother has health problems, the father has private‐sector employment, and the partners work irregular hours.     

Information and professional support: key factors in the provision of family-centred early childhood intervention services

Background Much has been written on the principles of family‐centred practice and on the service delivery methods and skills required of its practitioners. Far less has been written from the perspective of families whose children have a disability. The aims of this study were twofold: firstly to understand families' experiences of family‐centred early childhood intervention services and secondly to explore other factors that might impact on these experiences. Methods One hundred and thirty families attending two established early childhood intervention services in New South Wales, Australia completed a survey incorporating the Measure of Processes of Care‐56, the Family Empowerment Scale, the Family Support Scale and the Parenting Daily Hassles Scale. Results Consistent with previous research using the Measure of Processes of Care‐56, ‘respectful and supportive care’ was the domain of care families rated to occur most and ‘provision of general information’ was the domain they rated to occur least. Significant positive relationships existed between families' ratings of family‐centred care and feelings of empowerment. Being provided with general information was strongly correlated with family empowerment. Families' social support networks played an important role but support from professionals was most strongly correlated with families' experiences of family‐centred care. Finally, families whose children's early intervention services were co‐ordinated by a professional experienced significantly better care. Conclusions The provision of general information and professional support are key components of family‐centred early childhood intervention services.     

Quality of Care Offered by Providers with Differential Patterns of Workshop Participation

Examined differences in the quality of care offered by family child care providers who never participated in inservice training, providers who intermittently attended training during their career, and providers who continuously participated in training throughout their career. Seventy licensed family child care providers were visited. Quality of care was measured by the Family Day Care Environment Rating Scale (FDCERS). ANCOVAs indicated that the continual participants were rated higher than the other two groups on the total FDCERS score as well as the Language and Reasoning, Learning Activities, and Basic Care Subscales. Implications for state licensing requirements and professional development opportunities for family child care providers are discussed.     

The family of origin parachute model: Landing safely in adult romantic relationships*

Abstract: This study investigates the utility of the family of origin parachute model in predicting longitudinal outcomes for couples in romantic relationships. This conceptual model contains common family variables that are theoretically and empirically related to later adult functioning and are believed to influence attitudes that adult children develop regarding romantic relationships as well as self‐esteem. Data from two samples were used to analyze this model. The results support the model and demonstrate its ability to predict membership in relationship satisfaction groups. Suggestions are presented for integrating the family of origin in applied work.     

Attachment and Parenting: The Mediating Role of Work‐Family Balance in Portuguese Parents of Preschool Children

Given the increasingly challenging task of balancing multiple adult life roles in contemporary society, this study examined the influences of both conflicting and (positively) synergistic work and family roles in mediating associations between the quality of adult attachment and both parental satisfaction and parenting stress. Participants were 242 Portuguese fathers and mothers involved in dual‐earner relationships and in parenting preschool‐aged children. Structural Equations Modeling analyses yielded findings demonstrating that the paths from romantic attachment (avoidance and anxiety) to parenting stress and satisfaction were fully explained by work‐family dimensions, especially the conflict dimension. Implications of these findings for parent education and intervention are discussed.     

家庭医生服务能力的影响因素分析

以佛山市家庭医生团队成员为调研对象,采用自制量表对其进行自填式问卷调查,通过主成分分析法提取影响家庭医生服务能力的因素,分别为工作主动性、工作熟识度、工作胜任力、资源配置、职业自信。由此,提出提升家庭医生服务能力的针对性意见建议。     

A Process Evaluation of a Website for Family Life Educators*

Effective professional development is critical to maintaining high‐quality family life education. Most professional development continues to be conducted through workshops, newsletters, and other traditional ways. The growth of information technology provides an important new teaching capacity for professional development. This article explores the development of a website for family life educators, examines procedures for obtaining formative evaluation data about websites, and considers the implications of this work for developing more effective professional development experiences for family life educators.     

Childcare Task Division and Shared Parenting Attitudes in Dual‐Earner Families With Young Children*

Fifty‐eight dual‐earner couples with young children (116 parents) completed interviews and self‐report measures to evaluate shared parenting (SP), marital satisfaction, and division of child‐care tasks. As expected, psychological and relational SP dimensions predicted marital satisfaction, parental competence, and closeness to their children, but division of child‐care tasks did not. The findings were interpreted to highlight how family practitioners may educate and support stressed dual‐earner couples regarding these relational aspects of shared parenting.     

Predictors of Family Child Care Providers' Intentions Toward Professional Development

Family child care providers' interest in and influences on accomplishing various aspects of professional development, including accreditation, credentialing, and increased formal education were studied. Taking additional credit hour classes and utilizing the professional association were more likely to be accomplished than were more advanced levels of professional development, like getting a college degree. Predictors varied within the eight aspects studied. Intention to stay in family child care did not predict any aspect of training; family child care as a career was a weak predictor of getting the CDA and seeking NAFCC accreditation.     

The Psychological Availability of Dual‐Earner Parents for Their Children After Work

Using data from a sample of Dutch dual‐earner parents (N = 261), this study showed that parents' psychological availability acted as a link between negative and positive workday residuals (i.e., work‐related negative mood, exhaustion, rumination, and work‐related positive mood and vigor) and the quality of parent–child interactions after the workday. Parents' preference for type of role combination moderated these relationships in that evidence for negative spillover was found only for parents who tended to integrate work and family life, whereas positive spillover was found only for parents who tended to segment work and family life. These findings suggest that workday residuals combined with parents' boundary management strategies have important implications for the parent–child relationship.     

Family Coaching: An Emerging Family Science Field

Although there is a rich history of collaboration and distinction among family practitioners, to remain progressive, the domains of family practice must continue to evolve based on the current practices of family professionals. Recently, family coaching (FC) has captured the professional attention of practitioners as another collaborative yet distinct field in family science. FC seeks to foster the achievement of family‐identified goals through a process‐driven relationship between a family and professional coach. In this article, the authors introduce FC and explore it as an extension to the domains of family practice model. In addition, the authors offer results from a nationwide sample of family practitioners (N = 180) regarding their experiences and opinions of FC to further substantiate the field's progression.