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Mom's Job Stress May
Spread to Kids by: Rita Jenkins Low job satisfaction in working mothers increasesstress levels of their children, but allowing them to spend more time in childcare can help overcome these effects, according to new research published in Developmental Psychobiology. Children whose mothers found their jobs emotionally exhausting or otherwise less rewarding had higher levels ofstress hormone cortisol than children whose mothers reported more enjoyment from their jobs, researchers found instudy involving more than fivezero nursery school children. Levels of cortisol inevening were more than double inchildren whose mothers experienced less job satisfaction. Placing those children in childcare would help to significantly reduce their stress,research suggests. The researchers also found that children from families that were either highly expressive or very reserved exhibited higher than average cortisol levels. Greater support is needed for working mothers to help improve their job satisfaction and increaseavailability of affordable childcare options, saysreport. More Time in Childcare Dr. Julie Turner-Cobb,health psychologist and senior lecturer at University of Bath, Dr. Christina Chryssanthopoulou fromUniversity of Kent and Dr. David Jessop,neuroimmunologist atUniversity of Bristol collaborated onstudy. To measure cortisol levels, they took saliva samples inmorning and evening from fivesix children aged three to four years old. They also surveyed mothers about their workplace conditions and home life oversix month period. "Spending more time in childcare makesbig difference tostress levels in children whose mothers have low job satisfaction," says Dr. Turner-Cobb. "It can help protect children fromeffects of their mother's low job quality and emotional exhaustion. Ensuring that mothers of young children have good support inworkplace is essential for supporting both mothers and their children," she adds. "Improvingjob satisfaction of working mothers means that they are less stressed themselves," says Dr. Jessop, "and extending availability of affordable and adequate childcare may not only improve quality of life formothers but, in doing so, may improvelong term health of their children." Healthy Adaptation to Stress Cortisol issteroid hormone that regulates blood pressure and cardiovascular function and immune function. It also controlsbody's use of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Cortisol secretion increases in response to stress, whether physical -- such as illness, trauma, surgery or temperature extremes -- or psychological. It isnormal and essential response without which we would not be able to function in everyday life. When these levels remain high or become disrupted in some way over prolonged period of time, however, they may have consequences for health. It is important to promote healthy adaptation to stress in children, and good quality childcare is one way of doing this, sayauthors. Copyright twozerozerofive Daily News Central |
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