WORK-FAMILY INTERACTIONS AND MATERNAL HEALTH: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SINGLE AND PARTNERED MOTHERS IN GERMANY

Abstract

The increasing labor force participation of mothers in high-income countries has led to a growing interest in understanding the impact of employment on their health and well-being. While previous research has shown that employment can have positive effects on overall health and well-being, the literature is divided on the specific impact of work-family interactions on women's health. This study aims to investigate the association between employment and health and well-being among single mothers compared to partnered mothers in Germany. Single mothers face unique challenges in balancing work and family responsibilities due to the absence of a partner's support and intra-household division of labor. Previous studies have suggested that employment may not provide the same benefits for single mothers, but most of these studies have been based on cross-sectional data, limiting causal inferences. Additionally, transitioning to employment could potentially offer single mothers an escape from poverty and social isolation. This study utilizes longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) spanning from 1992 to 2016. By employing panel regression techniques, the dynamic relationship between employment and maternal health and well-being is examined. The analysis compares the experiences of single mothers and partnered mothers, considering regional disparities between eastern and western Germany, differences based on the age of the youngest child, and variations among mothers in full-time, part-time, and marginal employment. The study findings contribute to the existing literature by offering a longitudinal analysis of the impact of employment transitions on maternal health and well-being, accounting for work-family conflict