Children's Impact on Stress and Employability of Mothers in Poverty

This study explores the relationship between stress in the parent-child relationship and successful pursuit of education and training activities for a sample of female JOBS participants in North Carolina whose children had attained at least preschool age. Using probit regression techniques, a significant negative relationship was found to exist between parent-child stress and successful component completion for these participants. Further assessment probed the contribution of study participants' personal and social strengths and problem-child behaviors as contributors to stress: Lower levels of mastery and higher perceived levels of child problem behaviors were found to be associated with the level of stress in the parent-child relationship. Findings, although preliminary, suggest the desirability of further research examining family dynamics as potential contributors to successful employability outcomes for this and similar populations.