View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

Maternal Well-Being and the Transition to Childcare: Impact of Caregiver Support

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Maternal Well-Being and the Transition to Childcare: Impact of Caregiver Support
Language: English
Authors: Jes Fyall Cardenas (ORCID 0000-0002-8354-4403), Malinda J. Colwell (ORCID 0000-0002-8723-7937)
Source: International Journal of Early Childhood. 2024 56(1):41-57.
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 17
Publication Date: 2024
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Preschool Education
Descriptors: Mothers, Stress Variables, Well Being, Child Care, Parent Caregiver Relationship, Correlation, Child Caregivers, Mental Health Workers, Preschool Teachers, Infants, Preschool Children
DOI: 10.1007/s13158-022-00339-6
ISSN: 0020-7187
1878-4658
Abstract: The current study examines the association between the mother-caregiver relationship and the psychological well-being of 533 mothers who transitioned their children to a non-familial licensed childcare center. Maternal well-being, mother-caregiver relationship quality, and maternal parenting stress were assessed. Hierarchical linear regressions were conducted to examine the associations between independent variables (i.e., maternal demographic data, parenting stress, and maternal reports of supportive caregiver relationship) and maternal well-being as a dependent variable. The results show that together, the independent variables account for 31% of variation in maternal well-being. Findings suggest that a supportive caregiver relationship is a significant factor in contributing to maternal well-being. There is a call to recognize mothers transitioning their children to non-familial care as a special population for consideration by teachers, caregivers, and infant/child mental health professionals working in childcare settings. The current research bolsters discussion on mother-caregiver relationships to focus on how professionals in childcare settings can best support mothers in this unique transition to non-familial care for their children.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: EJ1421990
Database: ERIC
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
    Url: https://content.ebscohost.com/cds/retrieve?content=AQICAHj0k_4E0hTGH8RJwT4gCJyBsGNe_WN95AvKlDbXJGqwxwG17Hbv-OZ1wCmgG__NXqKRAAAA4zCB4AYJKoZIhvcNAQcGoIHSMIHPAgEAMIHJBgkqhkiG9w0BBwEwHgYJYIZIAWUDBAEuMBEEDCKyW1usbpoQINhaUgIBEICBm4cf9M7n8_jtr1YJJDaBdoXE9KO8fXC1tDauqqumIz0ITkAntHcYpN4QbgyrDC9dJRrrh2hrpVyJm0DOt5nzt2hmQ8BD6e5fwfsqSEU7VxslqcdHrwxqtityQO9nWmCNvxX267eg8h1c_brWMWZkc3zJszhHOZtY8W7h0b2nh5i48bgHVez4NTxN6Oh8sFuEK33UQDgvLnOrmCa0
Text:
  Availability: 1
  Value: <anid>AN0176910786;iec01apr.24;2024May02.07:09;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0176910786-1">Maternal Well-Being and the Transition to Childcare: Impact of Caregiver Support </title> <p>The current study examines the association between the mother-caregiver relationship and the psychological well-being of 533 mothers who transitioned their children to a non-familial licensed childcare center. Maternal well-being, mother-caregiver relationship quality, and maternal parenting stress were assessed. Hierarchical linear regressions were conducted to examine the associations between independent variables (i.e., maternal demographic data, parenting stress, and maternal reports of supportive caregiver relationship) and maternal well-being as a dependent variable. The results show that together, the independent variables account for 31% of variation in maternal well-being. Findings suggest that a supportive caregiver relationship is a significant factor in contributing to maternal well-being. There is a call to recognize mothers transitioning their children to non-familial care as a special population for consideration by teachers, caregivers, and infant/child mental health professionals working in childcare settings. The current research bolsters discussion on mother-caregiver relationships to focus on how professionals in childcare settings can best support mothers in this unique transition to non-familial care for their children.</p> <p>Résumé: La présente étude examine les liens existant entre la relation mère-puériculteur.trice et l'état psychologique de 533 mères ayant confié leur(s) enfant(s) à un centre agréé de garde d'enfants hors du cadre familial. Le bien-être maternel, la qualité de la relation mère-puériculteur.trice et le stress parental de la mère sont évalués selon les critères PERMA, PCRS et PSS, respectivement. Des régressions linéaires hiérarchiques ont été conduites afin d'examiner les liens entre différentes variables indépendantes (telles les données démographiques de la mère, le degré de stress parental et le fait que la mère décrive en termes positifs ou négatifs sa relation de confiance, ou non, avec le/la puériculteur.trice), et le bien-être de la mère en tant que variable dépendante. Les résultats montrent que, ensemble, les variables indépendantes induisent 31% de variation au niveau du bien-être maternel. L'étude suggère ainsi qu'une véritable coopération mère-puériculteur.trice constitue un facteur significatif dans le bien-être maternel. Les professions de l'enseignement, de la puériculture et de la psychologie infantile sont par conséquent encouragées de reconnaître les mères ayant confié leur(s) enfant(s) à un.e gardien.ne extra-familial.e comme une population à part, ayant des besoins spécifiques. Cette étude confirme l'importance de la relation mère-puériculteur.trice en tant que domaine de recherche, pour aider les professionnels à soutenir, du mieux possible, les mères se trouvant dans la situation difficile de devoir confier leur(s) enfant(s) hors du cadre familial.</p> <p>Resumen: El estudio actual examina la asociación entre la relación madre-cuidador y el bienestar psicológico de 533 madres que trasladaron a sus hijos a un centro de cuidado infantil no familiar con licencia. Se evaluaron el bienestar materno (PERMA-Profiler), la calidad de la relación madre-cuidador (PCRS) y el estrés parental materno (PSS). Se realizaron regresiones lineales jerárquicas para examinar las asociaciones entre las variables independientes (es decir, la demografía materna, el estrés de los padres y los informes maternos sobre la relación de apoyo con el cuidador) y el bienestar materno como variable dependiente. Los resultados muestran que juntas, las variables independientes representan el 31% de la variación en el bienestar materno. Los hallazgos sugieren que una relación de apoyo con el cuidador es un factor significativo que contribuye al bienestar materno. Hay un llamado a reconocer a las madres que trasladan a sus hijos a un cuidado no familiar como una población especial para que los maestros, cuidadores y profesionales de la salud mental de bebés y niños que trabajan en entornos de cuidado infantil las consideren. La investigación actual refuerza una discusión sobre las relaciones madre-cuidador para enfocarse en cómo los profesionales en entornos de cuidado infantil pueden apoyar mejor a las madres en esta transición única hacia el cuidado no familiar de sus hijos.</p> <p>Keywords: Caregiver support; Maternal well-being; Childcare; Parenting stress</p> <p>Copyright comment Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.</p> <p>Childcare in the USA has become a requisite of employment for many working mothers and therefore the mother's first relationship with a non-familial caregiver (including early childhood educators and childcare providers) is an important element to understanding the current nature of the "motherhood" experience. It is unique territory for both parties to be engaged in a relationship that may feel compulsory as many mothers return to work, yet emotionally charged with a young child at the center (Minke et al., [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref1">27</reflink>]). Currently, 72.3% of mothers with children under 18 participate in the labor force, with over 81.2% employed full-time (U. S. Department of Labor, 2019). Today, half of all households are headed by women, and mothers account for 40% of the head of household primary (or sole) earners with children under 18, compared to 11 percent in 1960 (U. S. Department of Labor, [<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref2">48</reflink>]). Despite continued growth of mothers in the workforce and the expansion of family centered policies around the world, the US does not have a federal law mandating paid parental leave (Kornfeind & Sipsma, [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref3">22</reflink>]; U. S. Department of Labor, [<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref4">48</reflink>]). Many mothers who cannot afford the unpaid time off provided by the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) promptly return to work (often without time for recuperation) in fear that requesting additional time off (regardless of being paid or unpaid) will compromise their job security (Kornfeind & Sipsma, [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref5">22</reflink>]). Previous research has largely focused on the impact of early maternal employment on children, but there remains a gap in the literature on the effects of placing children in formal childcare for the mothers themselves (Petts, [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref6">34</reflink>]).</p> <p>Balancing work obligations while adhering to cultural expectations of motherhood (i.e., childcare responsibilities) has the potential to create role conflict and a subsequent increase in stress levels (Bianchi & Milkie, [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref7">2</reflink>]). Social support has been associated with personal well-being and is associated with positive mothering experiences (Leahy Warren et al., [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref8">24</reflink>]; Shin, 2019). Social support has been studied and defined in many ways but is rooted in the study of mental health, with most researchers confirming the benefits for psychological emotional well-being (Kawachi & Berkman, [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref9">21</reflink>]). Social support is found to be inversely associated with perceived stress and buffers the negative effects of stress on health-related outcomes (Peters & Skirton, [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref10">33</reflink>]). Measures of perceived social support have been instrumental in research identifying the key factors that provide support in the transition to motherhood. Lack of perceived social support has been reported as a significant predictor of the development of postpartum depression (Corrigan et al., [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref11">13</reflink>]). There are several types of social support: emotional, informational, and instrumental (Bloom, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref12">3</reflink>]; Feinberg et al., [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref13">15</reflink>]; Jacobien Van Holland et al., [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref14">19</reflink>]; Slomian et al., [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref15">45</reflink>]; Thoits, [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref16">46</reflink>]). Within the context of the parent-caregiver relationship, Shpancer ([<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref17">43</reflink>]) proposed the nature of support can be articulated into three paths: (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref18">1</reflink>) modeling path, (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref19">2</reflink>) education informational path, and (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref20">3</reflink>) social support path. The first two paths represent instrumental support (i.e., paid services provided) and informational support (i.e., parenting advice and education). The social support path, which includes emotional support, has been shown to buffer adversity for parents facing economic hardships and alleviate parental anxiety (Feinberg et al., [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref21">15</reflink>]; Shpancer, [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref22">43</reflink>]). Emotional support can be observed through expressions of concern, comfort, and encouragement from one person to another (Corrigan et al., [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref23">13</reflink>]; Jacobien Van Holland et al., [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref24">19</reflink>]). The "social support hypothesis" links the home-school life continuum and places focus on parent-caregiver communication to alleviate parenting stress regarding childcare (Shpancer, [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref25">44</reflink>]). The function of the parent-caregiver "partnership" in alleviating parenting stress has been investigated with evidence to support that parents who have engaged partnerships with a caregiver also are more sensitive and responsive in parenting (Owen et al., [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref26">32</reflink>]). Furthermore, in the social support framework, caregivers have the potential to become friends and extended family members to the mother even after the children are no longer in their care (Shpancer, [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref27">43</reflink>]). Given the potential for mother-caregiver relationships to be a source of emotional support for mothers experiencing parenting stress, more research is needed to examine mothers' perceptions of support from their child's caregiver.</p> <p>The mother-caregiver relationship has not been thoroughly investigated as a source of social support for mothers. Some literature has examined the nature of mothers' friendships and social networks, but none has been done in the context of a formal environment such as a childcare center (Guest & Keatinge, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref28">17</reflink>]; Peters & Skirton, [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref29">33</reflink>]; Shin et al., [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref30">42</reflink>]). To date, most research has been focused on mother-caregiver communication and mother involvement in the classroom (Boonk et al., [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref31">4</reflink>]). These observations are most often quantified by the frequency of interaction between the mother and caregiver, with the implication that higher frequency of interaction equates to higher quality of care experienced by the child. However, lack of communication is not necessarily indicative of dissatisfaction in the mother-caregiver relationship (Elicker et al., [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref32">14</reflink>]; Shpancer, [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref33">44</reflink>]). Although mother-caregiver relationships have not been as intensely studied as overall parental involvement, these relationships may have a more significant effect on children's outcomes than parent involvement alone (Boonk et al., [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref34">4</reflink>]; Minke et al., [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref35">27</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-2">Theoretical Frame for Research</hd> <p>Bronfenbrenner's original ecological theory (1974) has been refined throughout recent decades to encompass current contextual factors and social changes (Rosa & Tudge, [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref36">37</reflink>]). Bioecological theory (2006) remains relevant to family life and the operationalization of his theory, the process-person-context-time (PPCT) model, continues to be utilized by early childhood researchers in a variety of ways (Xia et al., [<reflink idref="bib52" id="ref37">52</reflink>]). In order to conceptualize the mother-caregiver relationship as a source of social support, Bronfenbrenner's bioecological systems theory has been applied. Previous researchers have utilized this theory to focus on the interplay of home (i.e., mother–child) and school life (teacher–child, mother-teacher) interactions as they impact child development. The mesosystem is composed of the interactions between microsystems that constitute the various relationships in an individual's life (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref38">8</reflink>]). The present study is focused on the mother-caregiver microsystem that is an integral part of a young child's life. However, this study is concerned with the mother-caregiver microsystem and the direct effects of maternal perceptions of support from the caregiver on maternal well-being.</p> <p>Bronfenbrenner exemplified the operationalization of theory into early childhood development practice and outlined five critical processes for positive development (1990). The five critical processes are as follows: (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref39">1</reflink>) in order to develop in all domains, children need at least one adult with whom they can develop a strong mutual attachment to throughout life; (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref40">2</reflink>) within an attached relationship, children require patterns of positive interpersonal interaction; (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref41">3</reflink>) the person caring for the child must have patterns of third-party support, to support the primary attachment relationship; (<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref42">4</reflink>) patterns of trust and communication must be established between adults in the primary settings of children's lives (i.e., childcare and school), and lastly (<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref43">5</reflink>) social, economic, and political intuitions must adopt and practice public policy that supports the effective child-rearing processes in the family system (Bronfenbrenner, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref44">7</reflink>]). Bronfenbrenner maintained that the strong emotional relationships increased the developmental trajectory of proximal processes (2006), and thus the research is centered on mother-caregiver relationship.</p> <p>Utilizing Bronfenbrenner's ([<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref45">7</reflink>]) five critical processes for positive development, propositions 3 and 4 will be applied to the current study. In the third proposition, a "third party" who gives support and admiration for the parent of the child is critical. In this study, the childcare caregiver will represent the "third party" for the mother. The perceived presence of a supportive caregiver relationship for the mother will be indicative of affirmation and affection in coordinated care for the child. The fourth proposition addresses principle settings in which children and their parents work and live. Just as interactions with childcare caregivers present an edifying experience for the child, the mother also is impacted through her experiences with the caregiver. The mutual trust and patterns of rapport must be established by the adults in the dyad in order for the relationship to disrupt the potential impact of stress in the parent's life through social support (Bronfenbrenner, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref46">7</reflink>]).</p> <p>Supportive linkages between a child's home life and childcare experiences have previously been researched utilizing an ecological systems theory frame with the majority of past work focusing on child outcomes (Kulik & Sadeh, [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref47">23</reflink>]; Liu, [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref48">25</reflink>]; Owen et al., [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref49">32</reflink>]). The current study is grounded in previous research, affirming the mother-caregiver interaction as influential to the developmental trajectory of the child (Christenson & Sheridan, 2001; McWayne et al, [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref50">29</reflink>]; Sheridan, 2012; Vickers & Minke, [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref51">50</reflink>]). However, the aim of the study is to extend the current literature by acknowledging that the mother-caregiver relationship alone may impact the psychological well-being of mothers. The developmental advantages of maternal wellness for children have long been established, but relationships that can support maternal well-being have yet to be thoroughly examined in the childcare context.</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-3">Research Questions</hd> <p></p> <ulist> <item> How supportive is the caregiver relationship for mothers transitioning to non-familial childcare?</item> <p></p> <item> How is the supportive caregiver relationship associated with maternal well-being after controlling for sociodemographic and perceived maternal parenting stress variables?</item> </ulist> <hd id="AN0176910786-4">Methods</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0176910786-5">Participants</hd> <p>Mothers are the focus of the current study to build on prior research examining mothers' experiences with placing children in non-familial care (Bradley & Vandell, [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref52">5</reflink>]; Brady, [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref53">6</reflink>]; Jaffee et al., [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref54">20</reflink>]). The sample consisted of 533 mothers (mean age of 36 years) who transitioned their children to a non-familial licensed childcare center (infancy through prekindergarten). Most mothers (83%) who participated first utilized non-familial care more than 12 months prior to the start of the study. The majority of mothers who participated were married (89%), European American (80%), and worked full time (70%; see Table 1). Most mothers also reported having a Bachelor's, Master's or Doctoral Degree (85%) and a family income over $100,000 (30%; see Table 1). The range of child's age at the time of entry into child care was 1 month old to 5 years old as reported by participants, with an average age of 13 months old at the time of entry. All respondents were accepted if they met the requirements of engaging in (or having previous experience of) regular daily/weekly interactions with their child's first formal caregiver.</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-6">Procedure</hd> <p>After the study was approved by the university institutional review board, mothers were recruited for the study through postings (both physical and online) made available at local childcare centers, a university email announcement system, online parenting forums (i.e., mom groups on Facebook), and parenting websites. Snowball sampling also was utilized as mothers were invited to share the study posting with other mothers. After mothers provided consent, they completed the survey online. The survey included questions about demographic characteristics, Maternal Well-being (PERMA (positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment)-Profiler, Butler & Kern, 2016), Mother-Caregiver Relationship Quality (PCRS; Elicker et al., [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref55">14</reflink>]) and the Parenting Stress Scale (PSS; Berry & Jones, [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref56">1</reflink>]). The measures chosen for this study were selected due to their reliability and validity in prior studies (Louie et al., [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref57">26</reflink>]; Ryan et al., [<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref58">38</reflink>]; Wammerl et al., [<reflink idref="bib51" id="ref59">51</reflink>]). The average amount of time spent completing the survey was 16 min. All participants were thanked for their time and if they chose to (by providing their email address) were entered into one of three drawings for a $25 Target card.</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-7">Measures</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0176910786-8">Mother Demographic Questionnaire</hd> <p>The demographic questionnaire was used to collect pertinent information on the general background of the mother, child, and caregiver (e.g., maternal age, ethnicity, income, child age at entry into care, total numbers of hours in care, caregiver age, and caregiver parenting status).</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-9">Maternal Well-Being</hd> <p>To measure maternal well-being, the positive psychology PERMA-Profiler (Butler & Kern, 2016) was utilized. PERMA is an acronym for the well-being domains of: positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. Mothers answered 23 questions about their personal well-being. Questions were answered on a Likert scale from 0 to 10, with variation in options across question types. For example, some questions were answered on a scale from never to always, others on a scale from terrible to excellent, and another set from not at all to completely. Prompts included questions such as: "In general, how often do you feel joyful?" (positive emotion) and "How much of the time do you feel you are making progress towards accomplishing your goals?" (accomplishment) Mothers also responded to questions such as, "How often do you become absorbed in what you are doing?" (engagement); "In general, to what extent do you feel that what you do in your life is valuable and worthwhile?" (meaning); and "To what extent do you feel loved?" (relationships). Domain scores are created by averaging the three items for each PERMA domain. Overall well-being is the average of only the main 15 PERMA items and one overall happiness item (average of a total of 16 items). Higher scores indicated higher well-being overall (Butler & Kern, 2016). Cronbach's Alpha for this sample was α = 0.83.</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-10">Maternal Parenting Stress</hd> <p>To measure parenting stress, mothers completed the 18 item Parental Stress Scale (PSS; Berry & Jones, [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref60">1</reflink>]). The statements describe feelings and perceptions about the experience of being a parent. Mothers were asked to think of each of the prompts in light of their current or typical relationship with their child(ren). Mothers indicated the degree to which they agree or disagree with the items on a Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Example prompts include: "I am satisfied as a parent" (reverse coded), "Caring for my child(ren) sometimes takes more time and energy than I have to give", and "I sometimes worry whether I am doing enough for my child(ren)". To compute the parental stress score, eight of the items are reverse coded and then all item scores are summed to form the composite of parental stress. PSS scores range from 18 (low stress) to 90 (high stress). Cronbach's Alpha for this sample was α = 0.87.</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-11">Supportive Caregiver Relationship</hd> <p>Utilizing the operational definition of social support in the Peters and Skirton ([<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref61">33</reflink>]) study, in the present study the term will denote "practical help, emotional sustenance or provision of information" (House et al., 1988, p. 543). To measure supportive caregiver relationships, mothers completed the Parent-Caregiving Relationship Scale (PCRS; Elicker et al., [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref62">14</reflink>]). Mothers responded to 35 statements about their relationship with their child(ren)'s caregiver. Mothers answered the statements about how they felt during the transition to non-familial childcare. The items were presented with Likert scale from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree) in regards to prompts such as, "When I need help, I know that my child's caregiver will go out of her way for me" (collaboration); "I feel confident that my child's caregiver knows a lot about how to take care of children" (confidence); and "My child's caregiver and I really seem to value our relationship with each other" (affiliation). Three subscales (i.e., collaboration, confidence, and affiliation) for the PCRS and an overall score of the parent-caregiver relationships was computed by averaging subscale items. Higher scores indicate higher levels of the parent's alignment with each dimension of the PCRS. Cronbach's Alpha for this sample was α = 0.96.</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-12">Data Analytic Plan</hd> <p>In order to address the first research question of how supportive the caregiver relationship is for mothers transitioning to non-familial childcare, descriptive analyses were run for the "affiliation/liking" and "trust/confidence scales" of the PCRS. The second research question examining how the presence of a supportive caregiver relationship is associated with maternal well-being after controlling for maternal parenting stress was assessed using a series of hierarchical regression analyses. In the first regression, maternal age, family income, mother's level of education, and number of children were the independent variables, maternal parenting stress was a control variable, and maternal well-being was the dependent variable. In the second regression the supportive caregiver relationship variable was added to the model and maternal parenting stress was controlled to assess the independent association of the presence of a supportive caregiver relationship on maternal well-being.</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-13">Results</hd> <p>Table 1 shows the characteristics of the sample used in analyses and descriptive statistics for the main study variables. Mothers' ratings on the confidence in their child's caregiver ranged from ranged from 1 to 5 with a mean of 4.18 indicating a relatively high level of perceived confidence in the caregiver. The observed values on the affiliation subscale ranged from 1.5 to 4.75 with a mean of 3.46 indicating a relatively high level of perceived affiliation from the mother toward the caregiver. The means of the two subscale scores were averaged to form the composite of a supportive caregiver relationship variable. The supportive caregiver relationship scores ranged from 1.44 to 4.81 with a mean of 3.83 indicating a relatively high level of perceived social support from a caregiver (see Table 1).</p> <p>Table 2 shows the correlations among study variables for the 533 mothers used in analyses. Mothers' well-being was negatively associated with maternal parenting stress (<emph>r</emph> = <emph>-0.50, p</emph> < <emph>0.01</emph>), suggesting that mothers who reported higher levels of overall well-being had less parenting stress. Similarly, maternal reports of a supportive caregiver relationship were negatively associated with maternal parenting stress (<emph>r</emph> = -0.13, <emph>p</emph> < 0.01). Maternal well-being was positively associated with supportive caregiver relationships (<emph>r</emph> = <emph>0.24, p</emph> < <emph>0.01</emph>)<emph>.</emph></p> <p>Hierarchical regression was computed to address the second research question. The collinearity statistics (i.e., Tolerance and VIF) were all within accepted limits (e.g., VIFs ranged from 1.03 to 1.39), and therefore, multicollinearity was not unduly influencing the results (Field, 2013). The results of the regression model indicate that maternal demographic characteristics and parenting stress contributed significantly to the model, <emph>[F</emph> (<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref63">5</reflink>, 527) = 42.14, <emph>p</emph> < 0.001)] and accounted for 28% of the variation in maternal well-being (<emph>R</emph><sups><emph>2</emph></sups> = 0.28) (see Table 3. Of the four independent variables included in this model (i.e., maternal age, family income, mother's level of education, and number of children), maternal education significantly predicted maternal well-being, after controlling for maternal parenting stress. The coefficient for maternal education (<emph>b</emph> = 0.14) was positive and significant (<emph>p</emph> < 0.01), indicating that higher levels of maternal education are associated with greater maternal well-being.</p> <p>In the next model, introducing supportive caregiver relationship to the regression, the variables with significant coefficients (<emph>p</emph> < 0.001) were maternal education and caregiver support. The change in R<sups>2</sups> for this model was small but significant (0.03). The coefficient for maternal education level (<emph>b</emph> = 0.14) was positive and significant (<emph>p</emph> < 0.001), indicating that a higher level of education attained was associated with higher maternal well-being. Finally, the coefficient for supportive caregiver relationship (<emph>b</emph> = 0.18) was positive and significant (<emph>p</emph> < 0.001) indicating that greater social support from a caregiver was associated with greater maternal well-being. Together, the five independent variables accounted for 31% of variation in maternal well-being after controlling for parenting stress.</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-14">Discussion</hd> <p>The current study was designed to highlight the potential of supportive caregiver relationships for mothers as one that impacts maternal well-being. For mothers who have a need or desire to place their child in paid non-familial care, the transition can be challenging (Pew Research Center, 2017). Traditionally, efforts to study maternal mental health have been situated in identifying maternal depression symptoms or diagnoses, with a particular focus on child outcomes from exposure to an attachment figure with such challenging experiences (Charrios et al., 2017). However, the absence of depression symptoms is not tantamount to "good" mental health or psychological well-being (Butler & Kern, 2016; Seligman, [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref64">40</reflink>]). Previous literature has provided evidence acknowledging the role of social support for mothers in promoting overall health, both mental and physical (Hakulinen et al., [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref65">18</reflink>]; Kawachi & Berkman, [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref66">21</reflink>]; Thoits, [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref67">46</reflink>]). The novelty of this study is in identifying childcare providers as sources of support for mothers. Considering over 4 million young children in the US are enrolled in non-familial care, it is important to take a closer look at the context of their family lives, including the well-being of their mothers (U.S. Census Bureau, [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref68">47</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-15">Summary of Main Findings</hd> <p>The first research question addressed the presence of supportive caregiver relationships for mothers in the context of non-parental childcare. Traditionally, social support for mothers of young children has only been studied in the context of family relationships, friendships, or formal support groups (Leahy-Warren et al., 2011; Peters & Skirton, [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref69">33</reflink>]). This study identifies childcare providers as a significant source of support for mothers, specifically in the areas of collaboration and affiliation.</p> <p>The second research question built upon the initial finding of supportive caregiver relationships to address the impact such support had on maternal well-being. After controlling for maternal parenting stress, which has a large effect on maternal well-being, and family income which have been shown to impact mental health (Berry & Jones, [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref70">1</reflink>]; Louie et al., [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref71">26</reflink>]; Mortenson & Barnett, 2015; Respler-Herman et al., [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref72">36</reflink>]), the mother's education level and the presence of a supportive caregiver relationship was significantly associated with a mother's reported well-being.</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-16">Importance of Study Findings</hd> <p>The focus on family inclusive practices in childcare has been repeatedly imparted to caregivers and teachers as important for long-term child outcomes and critical to the fluidity of coordinated guidance strategies from home to school and vice versa (Copple & Bredekamp, [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref73">12</reflink>]). By identifying the child's caregiver as a source of social support for mothers utilizing non-familial care for the first time, there are unique implications for early childhood educators and administrators to consider. Since the role of the early childhood teacher includes providing support for the "whole child", inclusive of the child's primary attachment figures, their outreach work may encompass providing social support for mothers in need of special consideration (i.e., mothers utilizing childcare for the first time).</p> <p>The unique transition for mothers utilizing childcare for the first time is one that is stressful for mothers, as shown in the current study. The importance of supportive caregiver relationships for mothers is further elucidated by the observed large impact parenting stress has on mothers' well-being. Some considerations for the significant impact of parenting stress at the time of first childcare utilization may include (but is not limited to): an increase in childcare expenses for the family, increased coordination for commuting to and from childcare, parent concern or worry about child's safety throughout the day, and an increase in child illnesses experienced (e.g., cost of increased doctors' visits, use of paid or unpaid time off to care for sick children, etc.; Gordon et al., [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref74">16</reflink>]; Morrissey, [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref75">30</reflink>]; Sandstorm & Chaudry, 2012). Parenting stress does not end on the first day of drop off at childcare. There are multiple and changing dynamics that should be considered when assessing parenting stress in this context.</p> <p>The purpose of identifying supportive caregiver relationships for mothers is not to create an undue burden on childcare providers to be the end all and be all for families, but rather to encourage their current efforts for building parent-teacher relationships. When considering the impact of mother-caregiver relationships, results from this study provide evidence to affirm caregivers that their efforts impact the entire family (not only child outcomes), including direct effects for mothers' well-being. Many mothers are the emotional and financial centerpiece for their families (Pew Research Center, 2017). Therefore, by providing social support to mothers, caregivers can amplify the well-being in the home for the children as well. The effort of childcare providers to provide social support is not mutually exclusive from their current responsibilities to be culturally sensitive and provide consistent parent communication (Copple & Bredekamp, [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref76">12</reflink>]).</p> <p>The study is nested within a proximal process of Bronfenbrenner's bioecological theory, highlighting caregivers as currently operating as (or having the potential to be) sources of third-party support for mothers, fulfilling the responsibilities of Bronfenbrenner's third proposition for positive development (Bronfenbrenner, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref77">7</reflink>]; Bronfenbrenner & Morris, [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref78">8</reflink>]). Furthermore, maternal reports of supportive caregiver relationships show the reality of the formal childcare environment as a principle setting for mothers' overall well-being, and not just a formative environment for their children. The findings from this study provide an opportunity for caregivers to enhance their relationships with parents by connecting with them as supportive third party and for childcare administrators to further facilitate a welcoming "principle setting" for the families in their care (Bronfenbrenner, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref79">7</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-17">Strengths of Study</hd> <p>The current study fills a gap in understanding whether or not early childhood teachers and caregivers provide social support to mothers. Previous maternal social support literature has not investigated childcare providers as sources of social support. Furthermore, the experience of transitioning a child to non-familial childcare for the first time has not been researched as a unique context that contributes to overall maternal well-being and mental health.</p> <p>The strength of this study also is evidenced in the amount of participation by mothers and their subsequent sharing of the survey to their own networks. The question of maternal well-being during a challenging transition may have resonated with the women who participated. As mentioned, capturing maternal well-being in the context of a mother-caregiver relationship has not been investigated in prior literature and the response from participants was indicative that this area that requires more research. The survey was first shared locally, but quickly spread in large online support groups of mothers nationwide, and ultimately the survey was shared globally as mothers from different countries cited their desire to participate in the project. The number of participants adds to the power of the statistical results, but even more so adds to the call for more research in this area.</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-18">Limitations of Study</hd> <p>Women of varying socioeconomic statuses across the US participate in non-parental childcare, however, one limitation of this study is the homogeneity of income levels represented. This could be a mechanism of the provided survey options, but the majority of participants indicated a family income over $100,000. Furthermore, the participants were predominantly European American/White and had at least a bachelor's degree. Although these sample limitations constrain the generalizability of the findings, it speaks to the current cost and realities of mothers utilizing center-based childcare. Currently, the 76% of American families making child care payments have an income of more than $150,000 for a family of four and 75% of these families report a mother's education level as graduate or professional degree (Malik, [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref80">28</reflink>]). Despite the homogeneity of the sample, variability remained in the levels of well-being and caregiver support reported. The knowledge that caregivers in childcare centers are an important source of support for mothers is important and warrants further study with a more diverse sample.</p> <p>Non-generalizability is also a limitation due to the nonprobability sample collected. This study largely grew in participants as a result of online snowball sampling. As mothers completed the study, they shared and promoted the survey link on other forums, Facebook groups, and with friends via email encouraging them to complete the survey. The issue with this type of nonprobability sampling is that there remains an unknown and thus unrepresented portion of the population of mothers utilizing childcare that is not included in the sample group. Looking at the demographic data, there remains a lack of reporting from low-income mothers. However, despite the limitations, there was variability in the mothers' reports, which suggests the findings in this study still provide new insight into understanding the relationship between mothers and their children's first caregivers, especially as it pertains to maternal well-being.</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-19">Conclusions and Implication for Practice and Further Research</hd> <p>Future studies would be enhanced by including fathers in the data collection. Specifically, father well-being scores would be important to have independently as a unique variable or in conjunction with partner well-being data to gain a better picture of family dynamics and overall parenting experience. With more egalitarian gender roles, fathers participate actively in childcare decisions and may have more interactions with their child's first caregiver than the child's mother (Pew Research Center, 2017).</p> <p>With regard to childcare decisions impacting well-being, future studies should consider including more questions about childcare choice (i.e., cost, location, quality, etc.) and timing (i.e., parent's amount of family leave time postpartum) as important contextual factors that underlie the subsequent parent-caregiver relationships. By collecting this contextual information and understanding of the rationale behind parent choices, researchers will have a more comprehensive picture of what parents experience as they transition to using childcare, including the experience of mothers returning to the workforce postpartum. In addition to providing an understanding of parental choices, future studies could include longitudinal data collection. Although we have designed the study in this way, it is worth noting that there is potential for the influence of these factors to be different (e.g., a mother's well-being may influence a mother's perception of the quality of the relationship with the caregiver). Multiple data collection points would clarify the direction of effects and associations among the variables across time.</p> <p>Qualitatively, future iterations of this study would be enhanced by including semi-structured interviews of both mothers and caregivers. The current study did not provide many opportunities for mothers to expound on their answers, but many mothers did reach out individually to further explain their situation when they first placed a child in childcare. Many complex emotions are involved in the transition to non-familial care experience, and it has become evident throughout the data collection that mothers have more to say about this transition and the impact it has had on their overall well-being. The quantitative evidence is clear that a supportive caregiver relationship matters for mothers, but a qualitative action research approach would provide a platform for mothers to expound on the intangibles that fostered the relationship in the first place. This information is invaluable as childcare administrators consider implementing policy changes to better support the families of children in their care.</p> <p>In conclusion, the current study adds a unique perspective of first-time formal childcare utilization to the study of mother-caregiver relationships in the early childhood education and care context. The existing literature has been supported by the findings above, but also fortified with an approach to understanding maternal well-being which undoubtedly impacts children's long-term social-emotional development. Childcare providers are engaged in family mental health work not only with children directly, but with their mothers as well, and they should be supported with opportunities for continuing education in family mental health. By identifying caregivers as an impactful source of social support for mothers utilizing non-familial childcare for the first time, there is an opportunity to strengthen relationships from the start and ultimately promote maternal and child well-being in the process.</p> <p>Table 1 Descriptive table of variables used in hierarchical regression analysis (<emph>N</emph> = 533)</p> <p> <ephtml> <table frame="hsides" rules="groups"><thead><tr><th align="left"><p>Variable</p></th><th align="left"><p>Min</p></th><th align="left"><p>Max</p></th><th align="left"><p>Mean</p></th><th align="left"><p>SD</p></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="left"><p>Maternal age</p></td><td align="left"><p>20</p></td><td align="left"><p>69</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>36.6</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>7.03</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Maternal education</p></td><td align="left"><p>1</p></td><td align="left"><p>7</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>5.36</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>1.23</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Family income</p></td><td align="left"><p>1</p></td><td align="left"><p>8</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>5.99</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>1.95</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Number of children</p></td><td align="left"><p>1</p></td><td align="left"><p>5</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>1.21</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>0.54</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Maternal parenting stress</p></td><td align="left"><p>20</p></td><td align="left"><p>79</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>41.58</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>9.64</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Supportive caregiver relationship</p></td><td align="left"><p>1.44</p></td><td align="left"><p>4.81</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>3.83</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>0.60</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Maternal well-being</p></td><td align="left"><p>2.44</p></td><td align="left"><p>10.00</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>7.62</p></td><td char="." align="char"><p>1.54</p></td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>For education a 1 denotes "Did not complete high school", 5 denotes "Bachelor's Degree", and 7 denotes "Doctorate"; for income 1 denotes "Under $10,000", 8 denotes "Over $100,000</p> <p>Table 2 Correlations among variables used in hierarchical regression analysis (<emph>N</emph> = 533)</p> <p> <ephtml> <table frame="hsides" rules="groups"><thead><tr><th align="left"><p>Variables</p></th><th align="left"><p>1</p></th><th align="left"><p>2</p></th><th align="left"><p>3</p></th><th align="left"><p>4</p></th><th align="left"><p>5</p></th><th align="left"><p>6</p></th><th align="left"><p>7</p></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="left"><p>1. Maternal age</p></td><td align="left"><p>–</p></td><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2. Maternal education</p></td><td align="left"><p> −.03</p></td><td align="left"><p>–</p></td><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>3. Family income</p></td><td align="left"><p> −.06</p></td><td align="left"><p>.52**</p></td><td align="left"><p>–</p></td><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>4. Number of children</p></td><td align="left"><p>.15**</p></td><td align="left"><p> −.11*</p></td><td align="left"><p> −.06</p></td><td align="left"><p>–</p></td><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>5. Maternal parenting stress</p></td><td align="left"><p> −.03</p></td><td align="left"><p>.06</p></td><td align="left"><p> −.08</p></td><td align="left"><p> −.11*</p></td><td align="left"><p>–</p></td><td align="left" /><td align="left" /></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>6. Supportive caregiver relationship</p></td><td align="left"><p>.05</p></td><td align="left"><p> −.02</p></td><td align="left"><p>.10</p></td><td align="left"><p>.09*</p></td><td align="left"><p> −.13**</p></td><td align="left"><p>–</p></td><td align="left" /></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>7. Maternal well-being</p></td><td align="left"><p> −.03</p></td><td align="left"><p>.14**</p></td><td align="left"><p>.17**</p></td><td align="left"><p>.06</p></td><td align="left"><p> −.50**</p></td><td align="left"><p>.24**</p></td><td align="left"><p>–</p></td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>**Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed); * Correlation is significant at 0.05 level (2-tailed)</p> <p>Table 3 Summary of hierarchical regression analysis for variables predicting maternal well-being (<emph>N</emph> = 533)</p> <p> <ephtml> <table frame="hsides" rules="groups"><thead><tr><th align="left" /><th align="left" colspan="3"><p>Model 1</p></th><th align="left" colspan="3"><p>Model 2</p></th></tr><tr><th align="left"><p>Variable</p></th><th align="left"><p><italic>B</italic></p></th><th align="left"><p><italic>SE B</italic></p></th><th align="left"><p><italic>β</italic></p></th><th align="left"><p><italic>B</italic></p></th><th align="left"><p><italic>SE B</italic></p></th><th align="left"><p><italic>β</italic></p></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="left"><p>Maternal age</p></td><td align="left"><p>−.01</p></td><td align="left"><p>.01</p></td><td align="left"><p>−.04</p></td><td align="left"><p>−.01</p></td><td align="left"><p>.01</p></td><td align="left"><p>−.05</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Maternal education</p></td><td align="left"><p>.18</p></td><td align="left"><p>.05</p></td><td align="left"><p>.14**</p></td><td align="left"><p>.18</p></td><td align="left"><p>.05</p></td><td align="left"><p>.14***</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Family income</p></td><td align="left"><p>.04</p></td><td align="left"><p>.03</p></td><td align="left"><p>.06</p></td><td align="left"><p>.04</p></td><td align="left"><p>.03</p></td><td align="left"><p>.05</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Number of children</p></td><td align="left"><p>.07</p></td><td align="left"><p>.11</p></td><td align="left"><p>.02</p></td><td align="left"><p>.03</p></td><td align="left"><p>.11</p></td><td align="left"><p>.01</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Maternal parenting stress</p></td><td align="left"><p>−.08</p></td><td align="left"><p>.01</p></td><td align="left"><p>−.50***</p></td><td align="left"><p>−.08</p></td><td align="left"><p>.01</p></td><td align="left"><p>−.48***</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Supportive caregiver relationship</p></td><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left" /><td align="left"><p>.47</p></td><td align="left"><p>.09</p></td><td align="left"><p>.18**</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Adjusted <italic>R</italic><sup><italic>2</italic></sup></p></td><td align="left" colspan="3"><p>.28</p></td><td align="left" colspan="3"><p>.31</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p><italic>F</italic> for change in <italic>R</italic><sup><italic>2</italic></sup></p></td><td align="left" colspan="3"><p>42.14***</p></td><td align="left" colspan="3"><p>24.47***</p></td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>*<emph>p</emph> ≤.05; **<emph>p</emph> ≤.01; ***<emph>p</emph> ≤.001</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-20">Author's contribution</hd> <p>All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by JFC and MC. The first draft of the manuscript was written by JFC and both authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Due to the nature of this research, participants of this study did not agree for their data to be shared publicly, so supporting data is not available. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-21">Declarations</hd> <p></p> <hd id="AN0176910786-22">Statement of appreciation for diversity and an anti-racist approach</hd> <p>In this study the identity of motherhood was not limited to biological mothers nor to the participants' sex or gender assigned at birth. Ethnic and racial identity was not limited in the survey response choices and participants were able to select all ethnic origins and races that apply to their identity. This is a concerted effort to dissolve racial boundaries and represent participants as they identify themselves, not through hypo/hyperdescent bias.</p> <hd id="AN0176910786-23">Publisher's Note</hd> <p>Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.</p> <ref id="AN0176910786-24"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref18" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Berry J, Jones W. The Parental Stress Scale: Initial psychometric evidence. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. 1995; 12: 463-472. 10.1177/0265407595123009</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib2" idref="ref7" type="bt">2</bibl> <bibtext> Bianchi M, Milkie MA. Work and family research in the first decade of the 21stcentury. Journal of Marriage and Family. 2010; 72; 3: 705-725. 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00726.x</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib3" idref="ref12" type="bt">3</bibl> <bibtext> Bloom JR. The relationship of social support and health. Social Science and Medicine. 1990; 30; 5: 635-637. 10.1016/0277-9536(90)90162-l</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib4" idref="ref31" type="bt">4</bibl> <bibtext> Boonk L, Gijselaers HJ, Ritzen H, Brand-Gruwel S. A review of the relationship between parental involvement indicators and academic achievement. Educational Research Review. 2018; 24: 10-30. 10.1016/j.edurev.2018.02.001</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib5" idref="ref43" type="bt">5</bibl> <bibtext> Bradley RH, Vandell DL. Child care and the well-being of children. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. 2007; 161; 7: 669. 10.1001/archpedi.161.7.669</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib6" idref="ref53" type="bt">6</bibl> <bibtext> Brady, M. (2017). The role of informal childcare in mothers' experiences of care and employment: A qualitative lifecourse analysis. Lone Parenthood in the Life Course,237–255,. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63295-7_11</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib7" idref="ref44" type="bt">7</bibl> <bibtext> Bronfenbrenner, U. (1990). Discovering what families do. In D. Blankenhorn, S. Bayme, & J. Bethke Elshtain (Eds.), Rebuilding the Nest: A New Commitment to the American Family (pp. 27–38). Family Service America.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib8" idref="ref38" type="bt">8</bibl> <bibtext> Bronfenbrenner U, Morris PALerner RM, Damon W. The bioecological model of human development. Handbook of child psychology. 2006; John Wiley & Sons Inc: 793-828</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib9" type="bt">9</bibl> <bibtext> Butler J, Kern ML. The PERMA profiler: A brief multidimensional measure of flourishing. International Journal of Wellbeing. 2016; 6; 3: 1-48. 10.5502/ijw.v6i3.526</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Charrois J, Côté S, Japel C, Séguin J, Paquin S, Tremblay R, Herba C. Child care quality moderates the association between maternal depression and children's behavioral outcome. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 2017; 58; 11: 1210-1218. 10.1111/jcpp.12764</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Christenson, S, & Sheridan, S. M. (Eds.). (2001). Schools and families: Creating essential connections for learning. Guilford Press.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Copple C, Bredekamp S. Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs: Serving children from birth through age 8. 20214; National Association for the Education of Young Children</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Corrigan CP, Kwasky AN, Groh CJ. Social support, postpartum depression, and professional assistance: A survey of mothers in the Midwestern United States. The Journal of Perinatal Education. 2015; 24; 1: 48-60. 10.1891/1058-1243.24.1.48</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Elicker J, Noppe IC, Noppe LD, Fortner-Wood C. The parent-caregiver relationship scale: Rounding out the relationship system in infant child care. Early Education and Development. 1997; 8; 1: 83-100. 10.1207/s15566935eed0801_7</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Feinberg, E, Declercq, E, Lee, A, & Belanoff, C. (2022, May). The Relationship between Social Support and Postnatal Anxiety and Depression: Results from the Listening to Mothers in California Survey. Women's Health Issues, 32(3), 251–260. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.whi.2022.01.005</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Gordon R, Kaestner R, Korenman S. Child care and work absences: Trade-offs by type of care. Journal of Marriage and Family. 2008; 70; 1: 239-254. 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2007.00475.x</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Guest EM, Keatinge DR. The value of new parent groups in child and family health nursing. The Journal of Perinatal Education. 2009; 18; 3: 12-22. 10.1624/105812409X461180</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Hakulinen C, Pulkki-Råback L, Jokela M, Ferrie E, J, Aalto, A, Virtanen, M, Elovainio, M. Structural and functional aspects of social support as predictors of mental and physical health trajectories: Whitehall II cohort study. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 2016; 70; 7: 710-715. 10.1136/jech-2015-206165</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Jacobien Van Holland DG, Hoogenboom M, De Roos S, Bucx F. Socio-demographic Correlates of Fathers' and Mothers' Parenting Behaviors. Journal of Child and Family Studies. 2018; 27; 7: 2315-2327. 10.1007/s10826-018-1059-7</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Jaffee SR, Van Hulle C, Rodgers JL. Effects of nonmaternal care in the first 3 years on children's academic skills and behavioral functioning in childhood and early adolescence: A sibling comparison study. Child Development. 2011; 82; 4: 1076-1091. 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01611.x</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Kawachi I, Berkman LF. Social ties and mental health. Journal of Urban Health. 2001; 78; 3: 458-467. 10.1093/jurban/78.3.458</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Kornfeind, K. R. & Sipsma, H. L. (2018). Exploring the link between maternity leave and postpartum depression. Women's Health Issues, pp. 1–6.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Kulik L, Sadeh I. Explaining fathers' involvement in childcare: An ecological approach. Community, Work and Family. 2015; 18; 1: 19-40. 10.1080/13668803.2014.944483</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Leahy Warren P, McCarthy G, Corcoran P. First-time mothers: Social support, maternal parental self efficacy and postnatal depression. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2011; 21: 388-397. 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2011.03701.x</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Liu M. An ecological review of literature on factors influencing working mothers' child care arrangements. Journal of Child and Family Studies. 2015; 24; 1: 161-171. 10.1007/s10826-013-9822-2</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Louie A, Cromer L, Berry J. Assessing parenting stress: Review of the use and interpretation of the Parental Stress Scale. The Family Journal. 2017; 25; 4: 359-367. 10.1177/1066480717731347</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Minke, K, Sheridan, S, Kim, E, Ryoo, J, & Koziol, N. (2014). Congruence in parent teacher relationships. The role of shared perceptions. The Elementary School Journal, 114(4), 527–546.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Malik, R. (2019). Working Families are spending big money on child care. Center for American Progress. Retrieved October 1, 2021, from https://<ulink href="http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/earlychildhood/reports/2019/06/20/471141/working-familiesspending-big-money-child-care/">www.americanprogress.org/issues/earlychildhood/reports/2019/06/20/471141/working-familiesspending-big-money-child-care/</ulink>.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> McWayne C, Hampton V, Fantuzzo J, Cohen HL, Sekino Y. A multivariate examination of parent involvement and the social and academic competencies of urban kindergarten children. Psychology in the Schools. 2004; 41; 3: 363-377. 10.1002/pits.10163</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Morrissey T. Multiple child care arrangements and common communicable illnesses in children aged 3 to 54 months. Maternal and Child Health Journal. 2013; 17; 7: 1175-1184. 10.1007/s10995-012-1125-5</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Mortensen JA, Barnett MA. Teacher-child interactions in infant/toddler childcare and socioemotional development. Early Education and Development. 2015; 26; 2: 209-229. 10.1080/10409289.2015.985878</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Owen MT, Ware AM, Barfoot B. Caregiver-mother partnership behavior and the quality of caregiver child and mother-child interactions. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. 2000; 15; 3: 413-428. 10.1016/S0885-2006(00)00073-9</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Peters J, Skirton H. Social support within a mother and child group: An ethnographic study situated in the UK. Nursing and Health Sciences. 2013; 15; 2: 250-255. 10.1111/nhs.12027</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Petts R. Time off after childbirth and mothers' risk of depression, parenting stress, and parenting practices. Journal of Family Issues. 2018; 39; 7: 1827-1854. 10.1177/0192513X17728984</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C. (2017). 6 facts about U.S. moms. Retrieved from https://<ulink href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/05/08/facts-about-u-s-mothers/">www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/05/08/facts-about-u-s-mothers/</ulink></bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Respler-Herman M, Mowder B, Yasik A, Shamah R. Parenting Beliefs, Parental Stress, and Social Support Relationships. Journal of Child and Family Studies. 2012; 21; 2: 190-198. 10.1007/s10826-011-9462-3</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Rosa EM, Tudge JRH. Urie Bronfenbrenner's theory of human development: Its evolution from ecology to bioecology. Journal of Family Theory and Review. 2013; 5; 6: 243-258. 10.1111/jftr.12022</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Ryan, J, Curtis, R, Olds, T, Edney, S, Vandelanotte, C, Plotnikoff, R, & Maher, C. (2019, December 23). Psychometric properties of the PERMA Profiler for measuring wellbeing in Australian adults. PLOS ONE, 14(12), e0225932. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0225932</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Sandstrom H, Chaudry A. 'You have to choose your childcare to fit your work': Childcare decision making among low-income working families. Journal of Children and Poverty. 2012; 18; 2: 89-119. 10.1080/10796126.2012.710480</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and wellbeing. New York, NY: Atria Paperback.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Sheridan SM, Bovaird JA, Glover TA, Andrew Garbacz S, Witte A, Kwon K. A randomized trial examining the effects of conjoint behavioral consultation and the mediating role of the parent–teacher relationship. School Psychology Review. 2012; 41; 1: 23-46. 10.1080/02796015.2012.12087374</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Shin EK, LeWinn K, Bush N, Tylavsky FA, Davis RL, Shaban-Nejad A. Association of maternal social relationships with cognitive development in early childhood. JAMA Network Open. 2019; 2; 1. 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.6963</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Shpancer N. The link between caregiver-parent relations and children's experiences in daycare and at home: What does the research tell us?. Early Child Development and Care. 1997; 135; 1: 7-20. 10.1080/0300443971350102</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Shpancer N. Caregiver-parents relations in daycare: Testing the buffer hypothesis. Early Child Development and Care. 1999; 156; 1: 1-14. 10.1080/0300443991560101</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Slomian J, Emonts P, Vigneron L, Acconcia A, Glowacz F, Reginster JY, Oumourgh M, Bruyère O. Identifying maternal needs following childbirth: A qualitative study among mothers, fathers and professionals. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2017; 17; 1: 213. 10.1186/s12884-017-1398-1</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Thoits PA. Mechanisms linking social ties and support to physical and mental health. Journal of Health and Social Behavior. 2011; 52; 2: 145-161. 10.1177/0022146510395592</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> U.S. Census Bureau (2013). Who's minding the kids? Child care arrangements: Spring 2011. Retrieved from https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2013/demo/p70135.pdf</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> U. S. Department of Labor (2016). Working mothers issue brief. Retrieved from https://<ulink href="http://www.dol.gov/wb/resources/WB%5fWorkingMothers%5f508%5fFinalJune13.pdf">www.dol.gov/wb/resources/WB%5fWorkingMothers%5f508%5fFinalJune13.pdf</ulink></bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Uttal L. Custodial care, surrogate care, and coordinated care: Employed mothers and the meaning of childcare. Gender and Society. 1996; 10: 291-311. 10.1177/089124396010003006</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Vickers HS, Minke KM. Exploring parent-teacher relationships: Joining and communication to others. School Psychology Quarterly. 1995; 10; 2: 133. 10.1037/h0088300</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Wammerl, M, Jaunig, J, Mairunteregger, T, & Streit, P. (2019, November 13). The German Version of the PERMA-Profiler: Evidence for Construct and Convergent Validity of the PERMA Theory of Well-Being in German Speaking Countries. Journal of Well-Being Assessment, 3(2–3), 75–96. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41543-019-00021-0</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Xia M, Li X, Tudge J. Operationalizing Urie Bronfenbrenner's process-person-context-time model. Human Development. 2020; 64; 1: 10-20. 10.1159/000507958</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <aug> <p>By Jes Fyall Cardenas and Malinda J. Colwell</p> <p>Reported by Author; Author</p> </aug> <nolink nlid="nl1" bibid="bib27" firstref="ref1"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl2" bibid="bib48" firstref="ref2"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl3" bibid="bib22" firstref="ref3"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl4" bibid="bib34" firstref="ref6"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl5" bibid="bib24" firstref="ref8"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl6" bibid="bib21" firstref="ref9"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl7" bibid="bib33" firstref="ref10"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl8" bibid="bib13" firstref="ref11"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl9" bibid="bib15" firstref="ref13"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl10" bibid="bib19" firstref="ref14"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl11" bibid="bib45" firstref="ref15"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl12" bibid="bib46" firstref="ref16"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl13" bibid="bib43" firstref="ref17"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl14" bibid="bib44" firstref="ref25"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl15" bibid="bib32" firstref="ref26"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl16" bibid="bib17" firstref="ref28"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl17" bibid="bib42" firstref="ref30"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl18" bibid="bib14" firstref="ref32"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl19" bibid="bib37" firstref="ref36"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl20" bibid="bib52" firstref="ref37"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl21" bibid="bib23" firstref="ref47"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl22" bibid="bib25" firstref="ref48"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl23" bibid="bib29" firstref="ref50"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl24" bibid="bib50" firstref="ref51"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl25" bibid="bib20" firstref="ref54"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl26" bibid="bib26" firstref="ref57"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl27" bibid="bib38" firstref="ref58"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl28" bibid="bib51" firstref="ref59"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl29" bibid="bib40" firstref="ref64"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl30" bibid="bib18" firstref="ref65"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl31" bibid="bib47" firstref="ref68"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl32" bibid="bib36" firstref="ref72"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl33" bibid="bib12" firstref="ref73"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl34" bibid="bib16" firstref="ref74"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl35" bibid="bib30" firstref="ref75"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl36" bibid="bib28" firstref="ref80"></nolink>
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1421990
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Maternal Well-Being and the Transition to Childcare: Impact of Caregiver Support
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jes+Fyall+Cardenas%22">Jes Fyall Cardenas</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8354-4403">0000-0002-8354-4403</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Malinda+J%2E+Colwell%22">Malinda J. Colwell</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8723-7937">0000-0002-8723-7937</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Journal+of+Early+Childhood%22"><i>International Journal of Early Childhood</i></searchLink>. 2024 56(1):41-57.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 17
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2024
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mothers%22">Mothers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stress+Variables%22">Stress Variables</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Well+Being%22">Well Being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Care%22">Child Care</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Caregiver+Relationship%22">Parent Caregiver Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Correlation%22">Correlation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Caregivers%22">Child Caregivers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+Health+Workers%22">Mental Health Workers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Teachers%22">Preschool Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Infants%22">Infants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Children%22">Preschool Children</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1007/s13158-022-00339-6
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0020-7187<br />1878-4658
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The current study examines the association between the mother-caregiver relationship and the psychological well-being of 533 mothers who transitioned their children to a non-familial licensed childcare center. Maternal well-being, mother-caregiver relationship quality, and maternal parenting stress were assessed. Hierarchical linear regressions were conducted to examine the associations between independent variables (i.e., maternal demographic data, parenting stress, and maternal reports of supportive caregiver relationship) and maternal well-being as a dependent variable. The results show that together, the independent variables account for 31% of variation in maternal well-being. Findings suggest that a supportive caregiver relationship is a significant factor in contributing to maternal well-being. There is a call to recognize mothers transitioning their children to non-familial care as a special population for consideration by teachers, caregivers, and infant/child mental health professionals working in childcare settings. The current research bolsters discussion on mother-caregiver relationships to focus on how professionals in childcare settings can best support mothers in this unique transition to non-familial care for their children.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2024
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1421990
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1421990
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s13158-022-00339-6
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 17
        StartPage: 41
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Mothers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Stress Variables
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Well Being
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Care
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent Caregiver Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Correlation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Caregivers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mental Health Workers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preschool Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Infants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Preschool Children
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Maternal Well-Being and the Transition to Childcare: Impact of Caregiver Support
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Jes Fyall Cardenas
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Malinda J. Colwell
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 04
              Type: published
              Y: 2024
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0020-7187
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1878-4658
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 56
            – Type: issue
              Value: 1
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: International Journal of Early Childhood
              Type: main
ResultId 1