An investigation into the influence of various sources of social support for Irish mothers, on their subjective feelings of loneliness and stress
Year: 2018
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objective: There is a scarcity of research surrounding the unique psychosocial and psychological issues faced during motherhood, which include: changes to a woman’s social circle, and the potential onset of loneliness or increased stress. Existing literature indicates that perceived social support can buffer feelings of stress, and can be related to decreased loneliness; however, there are but a few studies showing this among mothers. The current study was designed to investigate how employment and partners as sources of support can moderate mothers’ perceived stress and loneliness. Methods: 193 Irish mothers aged 19-49 took part in the current study. Participants’ subjective feelings of loneliness, perceived stress and perceived social support were measured. Results: Women with part-time employment showed the lowest levels of both loneliness and stress. Also, those with partners/spouses displayed significantly lower levels of loneliness and stress. The combination of staying at home and being a single mother was indicative of much higher loneliness and stress. Notably, partnered/married, full-time working mothers experienced higher stress, despite having partners/spouses as support. Conclusions: Results show that mothers benefit greatly from having moderate hours of employment outside the home as a source of social support, as well as having a close source of emotional support. However, where work is full-time, parental stress can increase. Further research is needed to confirm the effects of these sources of support on mothers.
Author: Aisling Byrne
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2895865023