• 135-01 - Temporal Structure of Work-family Experiences: An Ecological Examination
  Presented by: Joseph Grzywacz, A. Lauren Crain, Brian Martinson, Sara Quandt
• 135-02 - Creating Relationships: Parents and Center-based Child Care Providers
  Presented by: Katherine Speirs
• 3135-03 - Parent-child Relations, Child Behavior Problems, and Parental Work Travel
  Presented by: Kyung-Hee Lee, Andrea Swenson, Anisa Zvonkovic

Abstracts

Temporal Structure of Work-family Experiences: An Ecological Examination

Presented by: Joseph Grzywacz, A. Lauren Crain, Brian Martinson, Sara Quandt

The temporal structure of work-family experiences (i.e., work-family conflict, work-family enrichment, work-family balance) remains under-conceptualized and under-studied.   Using data obtained from a general population sample (N=302) of working women at four observations separated by four month, we examined the temporal structure of work-family experiences.  40-45% of the total variation in work-family experiences was within-person.  There was not an obvious temporal or seasonal pattern to work-family experiences, although family-to-work conflict and work-to-family enrichment were affected by the structure imposed by the external school calendar.  Several associations between time demands or time use and work-family experiences differed by race and educational attainment.

Creating Relationships: Parents and Center-based Child Care Providers

Presented by: Katherine Speirs

Strong parent-child care provider relationships are important for their potential to promote successful child outcomes and aid parents in balancing work and family life.  Using qualitative observations and in-depth interviews at two child care centers I examined parent-provider relationships.  Five parent-provider relationship types were identified.  I discuss why it may be unrealistic to expect all parents and providers to form the partnerships that are advocated in much of the early care and education literature and the benefits of other relationship types.

Parent-child Relations, Child Behavior Problems, and Parental Work Travel

Presented by: Kyung-Hee Lee, Andrea Swenson, Anisa Zvonkovic

We explore the impacts of parental work travel and gender on parent-child relationships as well as the relationship between the intensity of a parent’s travel and child behavior. The data are from a larger multi-method study. Seventy-six children from 42 families are included. We found that children can still have quality relationships with their parents when they travel; however, the interruptions travel presents in family life has adverse effects on child behaviors. The strengths of the study included examination of the family level (data directly from mothers, fathers, and children). Implications will be discussed.