The purpose of the study was to determine whether the self-perceptions of mothers who remained at home with infants differed from self-perceptions of mothers who were employed outside the home with infants. Selected aspects of the mothering role and employment orientation were examined. The sample consisted of seventy-five mothers of twelve- to eighteen-month-old infants. The subjects resided in northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio.A survey instrument was developed through a pilot study to gather information needed to test the null hypothesis. All subjects were interviewed personally in their own homes to obtain data for the study. The .05 level of significance was established as the probability level for the nonacceptance of the hypothesis.The subjects were placed in one of two groups, mothers who remained at home with their infant and mothers who were employed outside the home for more than twenty hours a week. Those employed outside the home must have been employed for the six months before and including the month of the interview. A multivariate analysis of variance and associated univariate analysis of variance were used to test the study hypothesis.The two groups of mothers were found to differ significantly from one another on one of the six measures of self-perception. The six measures statistically analyzed were:(1) self-esteem, (2) childrearing behavior, (3) guilt, (4) employment orientation, (5) monetary consideration relative to employment and intrinsic motivation relative to employment, and (6) effect on the family. The measure that contributed to the rejection of the hypothesis was the variable "effect on the family." There was no difference between the. two groups on the remaining five variables.A descriptive analysis of open-ended questions yielded further information: (1) mothers with infants preferred their present roles, whether they remained at home or were employed outside the home; (2) mothers enjoyed their roles whether at home or at work outside the home; (3) mothers employed outside the home were more likely to express feelings of guilt when leaving their infants than mothers who remained at home; and (4) mothers were supported by their husbands in their decisions to remain at home or to be employed outside the home.

This study examines ethnic group differences on different dimensions of parentrated and teacher-rated parent involvement after adjusting for the influence of family socioeconomic factors, and the role of involvement scale in moderating ethnic differences in parent involvement. Parents and teachers provided information on parent involvement for 476 first-grade children attending one of three school districts (1 urban, 2 small city) in Southwest Texas, who were recruited in two sequential cohorts to participate in a larger longitudinal study on the impact of grade retention on academic achievement and psychosocial outcomes. Parents rated the following four dimensions of parent involvement: Positive Perceptions about School, Communication, Parent-Teacher Shared Responsibility, and Parent School-Based Involvement. Teachers rated the following three dimensions of parent involvement: Alliance, General Parent Involvement, and Teacher Initiation of Involvement. The two research hypotheses generated for this study were partially supported by the data. As predicted, controlling for parent education and employment status, the data showed significant ethnic/racial group differences in Communication (parent-rated), Alliance (teacher-rated), and General Parent Involvement (teacher-rated). In addition, ethnic differences in parent involvement were moderated by the type of involvement for teacher ratings. However, contrary to prediction, no significant ethnic differences were found in Parent School- Based Involvement (parent-rated) whereas significant ethnic differences were noted in Parent-Teacher Shared Responsibility (parent-rated). In addition, ethnic differences in parent involvement were not moderated by the type of involvement for parent ratings. Current results demonstrated a low correspondence between parent ratings and teacher ratings on parents’ school-based involvement. Possible explanations and implications for current findings and suggestions for future research were discussed.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2000. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 72-77). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (M.A.)--Humboldt State University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-53). Also available via Humboldt Digital Scholar.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 55-59). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--York University, 1998. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 168-188). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNQ27304.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 170-182). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references.