Selected satisfactions and values of working mothers

Utilizing a questionnaire technique, selected satisfactions and values of working mothers were studied in relation to certain personality, attitudinal, and motivational variables, A sample of 103 married, working mothers whose children were enrolled full-time in daycare centers were the subjects of this study. . Results support the contention that there are many new and productive ways of studying psychological factors related to both parenthood and marriage. While those mothers who were high in striving for mastery were less sensitive to negative aspects of parenting, those women high in competitiveness were more sensitive to negative aspects of parenting. Marital satisfaction was positively correlated with both achievement mastery and perceptions regarding the frequency of husband's participation in a variety of domestic tasks. Global life satisfaction was found to be highest among those mothers who enthusiastically endorsed a number of the positive values of parenting, who were moderate in their attitudes toward issues of authority and control of children, and who were characterized as androgynous. Implications and new directions for research are discussed.