Maternal Employment and Self-Esteem of School Children in Kolkata: An Empirical Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67440/ahj.vi.3063Keywords:
Maternal employment; Working mothers; Non-working mothers; Self-esteem; School children; Kolkata.Abstract
Background: The rise in maternal employment has raised questions about how a mother’s work status relates to her child’s self-esteem. Evidence from Indian city schools, including Kolkata, remains limited.
Objective: To compare the self-esteem of children of working and non-working mothers.
Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted with 300 school children (aged 10–16 years) in Kolkata, comprising 150 children of working mothers and 150 children of non-working mothers, selected by stratified random sampling. A structured 5-point Likert self-esteem questionnaire was administered in person on printed forms under supervision. Internal consistency was α = .831. Data were analysed in SPSS using an independent-samples t-test.
Results: Children of working mothers reported higher self-esteem (M = 34.96, SD = 5.46) than children of non-working mothers (M = 32.54, SD = 5.96), t(295.76) = 3.67, p < .001, Cohen’s d = 0.42.
Conclusion: Maternal employment was not associated with lower self-esteem; in this sample, children of working mothers reported higher self-esteem. Because the design is cross-sectional and based on self-report, the finding indicates a difference between groups, not causation.
