Depth interviews with 16 urban female heads of households (FHHs) were the basis of this qualitative study which sought to understand the nature of the child care decisions these women made for their school age children. A theoretical sampling model based on six dimensions of contrast (race, financial security, the presence of other caretakers in the household, the number of children in the household, and the age of children) was used in selecting the sample. All of the women were involved in work, education or training to a degree that child care was an issue for them. The collective testimony of the sample reveals that the FHHs chose care for their children that was compatible with their role as provider and with their resources. Resources included knowledge of caregivers and settings, network support, and material resources (income, presence of care in the community, and transportation). Women who had limited resources and restrictive provider roles functioned in an environment of forced choice and were more at risk for making decisions on child care that they were not personally comfortable with. Their affect, values, and children's opinions and needs played an important role within the bounds allowed by the provider role and resources. The FHHs maintained child care arrangements until life events or changes in resources or provider role precipitated the need for another decision. However, unmet values, and unacknowledged affect and child opinion precipitated a change if they were highlighted so clearly by anomalous events that they could not be ignored. Such conditions affected immediate change in child care, but not subsequent decisions. Social policy recommendations that stemmed from these findings conclude the study. / M.S.

This dissertation examines how new gender norms and family relations challenged the structures and categories of European welfare provision in the late twentieth century. It recovers a crucial yet forgotten era of welfare reform between 1957 and 1992, in which policymakers and publics grappled with how to adapt welfare institutions designed for paid industrial workers to suit the needs of unpaid family caregivers. These reforms were sparked by mass demographic and social changes in the age of affluence: working motherhood, the increase of migrant workers and their families, rising divorce rates, aging populations, and new definitions of equality. This process of reform was actually realized, however, amid the economic turmoil and political realignment of the 1970s and 1980s, as demographic changes and social movements pushed on the budgets of reformist governments and constrained the viability of their economic reforms. In this dissertation, I show how the attempt to develop social protections for family care entailed more than the creation of new or better benefits. Rather, addressing the demands of family care required that politicians, bureaucrats, sociologists, feminists, trade unions, poverty activists, and officials in the European Community rethink the very notions of “risk,” “aid,” and “insurance” on which European welfare states had been based. Drawing on archival records in five languages from seven countries, I reconstruct how centrist governments in the 1970s developed a series of innovative measures – social-security credits for caregivers, workplace protections for part-time workers, cash benefits for families with disabilities, leave allowances for caregivers, new entitlements and restrictions for family migrants, European Directives on gender equality– that reshuffled the relationship between welfare, employment, and care. But I also show how revisionist governments in the 1980s adapted those same policies to confront new economic conditions marked by high unemployment, low productivity, and low-wage, flexible work. The result was a new politics of welfare, developed first for caregivers in the 1970s and then expanded to the long-term unemployed and the socially “excluded” in the 1980s. Precisely because care troubled the categories of the post-war welfare state, care policies of the 1970s helped found the active employment policies of the 1980s and 1990s. Working at the intersection of the intimate and the international, this dissertation recovers how the post-industrial welfare state emerged from contestations over the gendered foundations of the industrial welfare state that preceded it.

The research at hand focuses on job satisfaction as a moderator of the relationship between work-family conflict and stress among female civil service managers in the Department of Education in the King William’s Town District. Samples of 100 employees were used in the study. The data was collected by means of a questionnaire which consisted of the following sections: (i) a biographical and occupational data questionnaire,(ii) Eum, Lee, and Paek’s (2007) Effort-Reward Imbalance questionnaire, (iii) Bedenia, Burke, and Moffat’s (1998) Short-form Work-family Conflict questionnaire, and (iv) Halpern’s (1966) Job Satisfaction questionnaire. The data were analyzed by means of Pearson’s Correlation Technique, Multiple Regression Analysis, and Analysis of Variance. The results showed that job satisfaction does not moderate the relationship between work-family conflict and occupational stress. The study also found a significant positive correlation between work-family conflict and occupational stress and between work-family conflict and job satisfaction. It also showed that both work-family conflict and job satisfaction respectively accounted for a significant proportion of variance in occupational stress. The thesis ends with several recommendations for future research and for future professional or managerial practice.

Text in English, isiZulu and Afrikaans / The topic of work-life balance has gained much attention in recent years. A focal point remains the effects of maternal employment on the well-being of women and children, despite shifts in society towards gender equality. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of mothers who either had chosen to stay at home after having children or to continue with full-time employment; and how their decision impacted their lives. This qualitative study, based on the Social Constructionist paradigm, and Second Order Cybernetics and Feminist Theories, included interviews with four full-time employed and four stay-at-home South African mothers. The data were analysed using hermeneutic analysis. The findings suggest that the participants’ tensions regarding motherhood and employment were strongly influenced by structural obstacles at work and at home, interpersonal relationships with other mothers, as well as intrapersonal experiences. Breastfeeding was identified as a prominent topic within the various themes. / Eminyakeni yamuva nje ukulinganisela phakathi komsebenzi nokuphila kwasekhaya kube undabamlonyeni. Indaba eseqhulwini kuseyiwo umthelela wokusebenza komama enhlalakahleni yabesimane nezingane, yize sekube nezinguquko emphakathini endabeni yokulingana kobulili. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo kwakuwukuhlola lokho okwehlele omama abakhethe ukuhlala ekhaya ngemva kokuzalwa kwezingane noma abaqhubeka besebenza isikhathi esigcwele; nokuthi isinqumo sabo sibe namuphi umthelela ekuphileni kwabo. Lolu cwaningo olwalubheka umnyombo, olusekelwe embonweni weNhlanganyelo Yomphakathi, kanye ne-Cybernetics Yohlelo Lwesibili Nemibono Yabalweli Besifazane, lwalubandakanya izingxoxombuzo nomama abane baseNingizimu Afrika abasebenza isikhathi esigcwele kanye nabanye abane abahlala ekhaya. Ulwazi lwahlaziywa kusetshenziswa uhlaziyo lokucubungula okulotshiwe. Okwatholakala kubonisa ukuthi izinto ezaziyingqinamba kubabambiqhaza ngokuphathelene nokuba umama nokusebenza zazilawulwa kakhulu yizithiyo zesikhundla emsebenzini nasekhaya, ubudlelwano nabanye omama, kanye nalokho ababhekana nakho uma bezihlola ekujuleni. Ukuncelisa ibele kwakubhekwa njengesihloko esiqavile phakathi kwalezo zihloko ezinhlobonhlobo. / Die kwessie van ‘n werk-lewe balans geniet die afgelope paar jaar baie aandag. 'n Brandpunt in die literatuur is steeds die gevolge van ma’s se indiensneming op die welstand van vroue en kinders, ondanks verskuiwings in die samelewing ten opsigte van geslagsgelykheid. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die ervarings van vroue te ondersoek wat óf kies om tuis te bly, óf om voltyds te bly werk wanneer hulle kinders kry; en hoe die besluit hul lewens beïnvloed. Die kwalitatiewe studie, gebaseer op ‘n sosiaal-konstruksionistiese uitgangspunt, en ekosistemiese en feministiese teorieë, het onderhoude met vier voltydse werknemers en vier tuisbly ma’s in Suid-Afrika ingesluit. Die data is ondersoek met behulp van hermeneutiese analise. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat die deelnemers se spanning rakende. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

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No description available.

Text in Afrikaans / Die doel met hierdie navorsing is om vanuit 'n geestesgesondheidsperspektief ondersoek in te stel na die rolkonflik van die werkende moeder. Die literatuurdoelstellings behels dat rolgedrag verduidelik word. Veranderlikes binne die organisasie- en werksfeer asook farniliesfeer wat tot rolkonflik by die werkende moeder aanleiding gee is beskryf. Die groeisielkunde is vanuit die analitiese, humanistiese en eksistensiele paradigmas aangebied, ten einde 'n geestesgesonde persoonlikheidsprofiel te ontwikkel. Wat die operasionele doelstellings betref, is die veranderlikes wat tot rolkonflik aanleiding gee en die persoonlikheidsfunksionering van tien werkende moeders met hulle eerste kind, deur middel van 'n ongestruktureerde onderhoud, ondersoek. Die verband tussen rolkonflik en 'n geestesgesonde persoonlikheid is vasgestel, om te bepaal hoe geestesgesondheid die hantering van rolkonflik beinvloed. Die resultate dui daarop dat die werkende moeder, met die ervaring van haar rol as moeder, groei in haar persoonlikheidsfunksionering getoon het. Uit die resultate blyk dit dat dit 'n positiewe gesindheid teenoor loopbaan, min werksekuriteit vir die moeder wat in haar eie praktyk werksaam is, onbuigsame werksomstandighede, ondersteuning deur betekenisvolle ander, rolbeperking en hoë deurdringbaarheid tussen die moeder se moeder- en werkrol, temas is wat die rolkonflik wat die werkende moeder ervaar, en gevolglik haar geestesgesondheid, bei:nvloed. Die resultate dui daarop dat die werkende moeder konflik tussen haar moeder- en werkrol, rol as eggenote en eie tyd ervaar. Unieke veranderlikes wat tot rolkonflik lei in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, wat in die navorsing geidentifiseer is, is rolbeperking en gebrek aan werksekuriteit vir die moeder wat haar eie praktyk bedryf. Die geestesgesonde persoonlikheidsfunksionering van die werkende moeder is met die ontwikkelde persoonlikheidsprofiel vergelyk. Dit blyk dat akkurate en realistiese waarnemings van ervarings, vryheid om emosies te beleef, geloof, toekomsgerigtheid en innige interpersoonlike verhoudings die werkende moeder se geestesgesondheid positief kan beinvloed, en tot makliker hantering van rolkonflik lei. Hierteenoor blyk dit dat gebrek aan seltkennis, gebrek aan vryheid van keuse, min emosionele beheer asook onaanvaarbaarheid en onverdraagsaamheid teenoor ander, eienskappe is waar sy heelwat in haar persoonlikheidsfunksionering kan groei. Aanbevelings vir die hantering van rolkonflik deur die werkende moeder is vir die bedryfsielkundige praktyk en die werkende moeder self geformuleer, asook aanbevelings vir verdere navorsingsgeleenthede. / The aim of this research was to study the role conflict experienced by the working mother from the mental health perspective. The literature study includes a description of role behaviour as well as variables within the organisational, work and family spheres that influence role conflict. Growth psychology is presented from analytical, humanistic and existential perspectives, culminating in a profile of the mentally healthy personality. The operational aims involved an investigation of variables that influence role conflict and the personality functioning of ten working mothers who are bringing up their first child. This was conducted through unstructured interviews. This involved determining the relationship between role conflict and a mentally healthy personality, to determine how mental health facilitates coping with role conflict. The results indicate that the working mother showed growth in her personality functioning as a result of the experience of her role as mother. However, the results also indicate that a positive orientation to career, minimal job security for the mother working in her own business, inflexible working conditions, support from significant others, role restriction and high penetrability between the roles of mother and worker, are themes that influence the conflict that the working mother experiences which, in turn, influences her mental health. The working mother experiences conflict between her roles as mother, worker, spouse and individuaL Unique variables that influence role conflict in the South African context were identified, namely, role restriction and minimal job security for the mother who operates her own business. The mental personality functioning of the working mother was compared with the developed personality profile. It seems that accurate and realistic observation of experiences, freedom to express feelings, religion, future orientation and close interpersonal relationships, influence the working mother's mental health positively and lead to better coping with role conflict. In contrast she could grow in terms of the following characteristics: lack of self-knowledge, little freedom of choice, little control over emotions as well as unacceptance and intolerance of others. Recommendations were made to the industrial psychology practice and the working mother herself, on how to handle role conflict, and also regarding future research possibilities. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Comm. (Bedryfsielkunde)

Text in Afrikaans / Die doel met hierdie navorsing is om vanuit 'n geestesgesondheidsperspektief ondersoek in te stel na die rolkonflik van die werkende moeder. Die literatuurdoelstellings behels dat rolgedrag verduidelik word. Veranderlikes binne die organisasie- en werksfeer asook farniliesfeer wat tot rolkonflik by die werkende moeder aanleiding gee is beskryf. Die groeisielkunde is vanuit die analitiese, humanistiese en eksistensiele paradigmas aangebied, ten einde 'n geestesgesonde persoonlikheidsprofiel te ontwikkel. Wat die operasionele doelstellings betref, is die veranderlikes wat tot rolkonflik aanleiding gee en die persoonlikheidsfunksionering van tien werkende moeders met hulle eerste kind, deur middel van 'n ongestruktureerde onderhoud, ondersoek. Die verband tussen rolkonflik en 'n geestesgesonde persoonlikheid is vasgestel, om te bepaal hoe geestesgesondheid die hantering van rolkonflik beinvloed. Die resultate dui daarop dat die werkende moeder, met die ervaring van haar rol as moeder, groei in haar persoonlikheidsfunksionering getoon het. Uit die resultate blyk dit dat dit 'n positiewe gesindheid teenoor loopbaan, min werksekuriteit vir die moeder wat in haar eie praktyk werksaam is, onbuigsame werksomstandighede, ondersteuning deur betekenisvolle ander, rolbeperking en hoë deurdringbaarheid tussen die moeder se moeder- en werkrol, temas is wat die rolkonflik wat die werkende moeder ervaar, en gevolglik haar geestesgesondheid, bei:nvloed. Die resultate dui daarop dat die werkende moeder konflik tussen haar moeder- en werkrol, rol as eggenote en eie tyd ervaar. Unieke veranderlikes wat tot rolkonflik lei in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, wat in die navorsing geidentifiseer is, is rolbeperking en gebrek aan werksekuriteit vir die moeder wat haar eie praktyk bedryf. Die geestesgesonde persoonlikheidsfunksionering van die werkende moeder is met die ontwikkelde persoonlikheidsprofiel vergelyk. Dit blyk dat akkurate en realistiese waarnemings van ervarings, vryheid om emosies te beleef, geloof, toekomsgerigtheid en innige interpersoonlike verhoudings die werkende moeder se geestesgesondheid positief kan beinvloed, en tot makliker hantering van rolkonflik lei. Hierteenoor blyk dit dat gebrek aan seltkennis, gebrek aan vryheid van keuse, min emosionele beheer asook onaanvaarbaarheid en onverdraagsaamheid teenoor ander, eienskappe is waar sy heelwat in haar persoonlikheidsfunksionering kan groei. Aanbevelings vir die hantering van rolkonflik deur die werkende moeder is vir die bedryfsielkundige praktyk en die werkende moeder self geformuleer, asook aanbevelings vir verdere navorsingsgeleenthede. / The aim of this research was to study the role conflict experienced by the working mother from the mental health perspective. The literature study includes a description of role behaviour as well as variables within the organisational, work and family spheres that influence role conflict. Growth psychology is presented from analytical, humanistic and existential perspectives, culminating in a profile of the mentally healthy personality. The operational aims involved an investigation of variables that influence role conflict and the personality functioning of ten working mothers who are bringing up their first child. This was conducted through unstructured interviews. This involved determining the relationship between role conflict and a mentally healthy personality, to determine how mental health facilitates coping with role conflict. The results indicate that the working mother showed growth in her personality functioning as a result of the experience of her role as mother. However, the results also indicate that a positive orientation to career, minimal job security for the mother working in her own business, inflexible working conditions, support from significant others, role restriction and high penetrability between the roles of mother and worker, are themes that influence the conflict that the working mother experiences which, in turn, influences her mental health. The working mother experiences conflict between her roles as mother, worker, spouse and individuaL Unique variables that influence role conflict in the South African context were identified, namely, role restriction and minimal job security for the mother who operates her own business. The mental personality functioning of the working mother was compared with the developed personality profile. It seems that accurate and realistic observation of experiences, freedom to express feelings, religion, future orientation and close interpersonal relationships, influence the working mother's mental health positively and lead to better coping with role conflict. In contrast she could grow in terms of the following characteristics: lack of self-knowledge, little freedom of choice, little control over emotions as well as unacceptance and intolerance of others. Recommendations were made to the industrial psychology practice and the working mother herself, on how to handle role conflict, and also regarding future research possibilities. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Comm. (Bedryfsielkunde)

The family roles and responsibilities are still allocated along the gender lines. Women assume primary child care and household roles despite working fulltime. They suffer from work-family conflict as they battle with these competing demands. A phenomenological approach was adopted for this study. The existing literature was used in defining work-family conflict, looking at different work-family theories; development of gendered defined roles, motherhood and demands brought on by women working fulltime. The semi-structured interview was used for data collection. The themes which emerged showed that women experience strong emotions associated with raising children whilst working. There is compromise on quality time dedicated in each role. Women assume sole custodian over their children’s upbringing. Women enter into a second shift after work. Having a career and children, is made easier through adoption of strong coping strategies and mechanisms. The conclusions and recommendations were made for future a research and organisational practices. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psycology))

The family roles and responsibilities are still allocated along the gender lines. Women assume primary child care and household roles despite working fulltime. They suffer from work-family conflict as they battle with these competing demands. A phenomenological approach was adopted for this study. The existing literature was used in defining work-family conflict, looking at different work-family theories; development of gendered defined roles, motherhood and demands brought on by women working fulltime. The semi-structured interview was used for data collection. The themes which emerged showed that women experience strong emotions associated with raising children whilst working. There is compromise on quality time dedicated in each role. Women assume sole custodian over their children’s upbringing. Women enter into a second shift after work. Having a career and children, is made easier through adoption of strong coping strategies and mechanisms. The conclusions and recommendations were made for future a research and organisational practices. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psycology))