Mothers' Job Loss and Their Sensitivity to Young Children's Development

Abstract

As the economy diversifies and stratifies, more mothers of young children experience job instability. To advance understanding of the implications of this trend, this study examines the role of job instability in maternal sensitivity, an important component of child development, during their children's first 3 years of life. Structural equation models with longitudinal multimethod data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (n = 1,211; 1991-1994) revealed that mothers' involuntary job loss, but not other job transitions, was negatively associated with sensitivity. This association was most pronounced among mothers with less education. Mediation analyses found that the association was explained by changes in family income and maternal depression, pointing to policy-relevant mechanisms for reducing inequalities among children.