Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026
06:55
Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting (Propensity Score) using the Military Health System Data Repository and National Death Index
Published on: January 8, 2020
Nonstandard work schedules and developmentally generative parenting practices: An application of propensity score
Joseph G Grzywacz1, Stephanie S Daniel, Jenna Tucker
1Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Family Relations
|May 3, 2011
Summary
Working fulltime in nonstandard jobs during a child's first year was linked to poorer maternal sensitivity and parenting practices. This suggests potential interference with child development support.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Maternal Employment Studies
- Child Care Research
Background:
- Understanding the impact of maternal employment on parenting is crucial for child development.
- Nonstandard work schedules may pose unique challenges for parents compared to standard 9-to-5 jobs.
- Early child care environments significantly influence parenting practices and child outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between fulltime maternal employment in nonstandard schedule jobs during a child's first year and subsequent parenting practices.
- To determine if early maternal employment in nonstandard jobs predicts parenting sensitivity and home environment quality over three years.
- To analyze the long-term effects of specific work schedules on parent-child interactions and development.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care (Phase I).
- Employed propensity score techniques to control for confounding variables and establish predictive relationships.
- Longitudinal analysis tracked parenting practices, including maternal sensitivity and HOME scores, from infancy to 36 months.
Main Results:
- Mothers working fulltime in nonstandard jobs during the child's first year exhibited significantly poorer maternal sensitivity at 24 and 36 months.
- Modest differences in the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) scores were observed at 36 months, indicating potential impacts on the home learning environment.
- Early fulltime employment in nonstandard schedules was associated with diminished quality of parenting practices over time.
Conclusions:
- Fulltime maternal employment in nonstandard schedule jobs during infancy may negatively impact parenting quality.
- These findings suggest that nonstandard work schedules can interfere with the development and maintenance of supportive parenting practices.
- Interventions and workplace policies may be needed to mitigate the potential adverse effects of nonstandard work on early parenting and child development.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs
Behavior genetics explores how genetic inheritance influences human behavior. It focuses on how genes, passed from parents to offspring, contribute to the development of behavioral traits and tendencies. This branch of genetics seeks to understand the complex interplay between inherited genetic factors and environmental influences in shaping our behaviors.
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
01:27Parenting Styles
Diana Baumrind's four parenting styles — authoritarian, authoritative, neglectful, and permissive — each influence children's socio-emotional development differently.
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative Parenting
This...
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative Parenting
This...
01:11Observational Studies
Observational studies are a type of analytical study where researchers observe events without any interventions. In other words, the researcher does not influence the response variable or the experiment's outcome.
There are three types of observational studies – Prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional.
Prospective Study
Prospective studies, also known as longitudinal or cohort studies, are carried out by collecting future data from groups sharing similar characteristics. One example of...
There are three types of observational studies – Prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional.
Prospective Study
Prospective studies, also known as longitudinal or cohort studies, are carried out by collecting future data from groups sharing similar characteristics. One example of...
01:26Longitudinal Studies
Longitudinal studies are also widely used in other medical and social science fields. For instance, in cardiovascular research, they can monitor patients' health over decades to identify risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol or smoking, and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of preventive measures. Similarly, in mental health studies, researchers might follow individuals from adolescence into adulthood to understand the development and progression of conditions like...
01:52Regression Toward the Mean
Regression toward the mean (“RTM”) is a phenomenon in which extremely high or low values—for example, and individual’s blood pressure at a particular moment—appear closer to a group’s average upon remeasuring. Although this statistical peculiarity is the result of random error and chance, it has been problematic across various medical, scientific, financial and psychological applications. In particular, RTM, if not taken into account, can interfere when researchers try to extrapolate results...
01:27Introduction to Developmental Psychology
Developmental psychology explores the changes and continuities in human abilities throughout life, encompassing physical, cognitive, linguistic, and social dimensions. Human development is not restricted to growth, but includes aspects of decline, particularly in physical abilities as individuals age. Developmental psychologists seek to understand how people change as they age and how their mental and social skills evolve.Developmental MilestonesA key concept in developmental psychology is...