Parents' nonstandard work schedules and child well-being: A critical review of the literature

This paper provides a comprehensive review of empirical evidence linking parental nonstandard work schedules to four main child developmental outcomes: internalizing and externalizing problems, cognitive development, and body mass index. We evaluated the studies based on theory and methodological ri...

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Main Authors: Li, Jianghong, Johnson, S., Han, W., Andrews, S., Kendall, Garth, Strazdins, L., Dockery, Alfred Michael
Format: Journal Article
Published: Springer 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/26319
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author Li, Jianghong
Johnson, S.
Han, W.
Andrews, S.
Kendall, Garth
Strazdins, L.
Dockery, Alfred Michael
author_facet Li, Jianghong
Johnson, S.
Han, W.
Andrews, S.
Kendall, Garth
Strazdins, L.
Dockery, Alfred Michael
author_sort Li, Jianghong
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This paper provides a comprehensive review of empirical evidence linking parental nonstandard work schedules to four main child developmental outcomes: internalizing and externalizing problems, cognitive development, and body mass index. We evaluated the studies based on theory and methodological rigor (longitudinal data, representative samples, consideration of selection and information bias, confounders, moderators, and mediators). Of 23 studies published between 1980 and 2012 that met the selection criteria, 21 reported significant associations between nonstandard work schedules and an adverse child developmental outcome. The associations were partially mediated through parental depressive symptoms, low quality parenting, reduced parent–child interaction and closeness, and a less supportive home environment. These associations were more pronounced in disadvantaged families and when parents worked such schedules full time. We discuss the nuance, strengths, and limitations of the existing studies, and propose recommendations for future research.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T08:00:54Z
publishDate 2014
publisher Springer
recordtype eprints
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-263192017-09-13T15:27:38Z Parents' nonstandard work schedules and child well-being: A critical review of the literature Li, Jianghong Johnson, S. Han, W. Andrews, S. Kendall, Garth Strazdins, L. Dockery, Alfred Michael Shift work schedules Child mental health Nonstandard work Child obesity Cognitive development Parental employment This paper provides a comprehensive review of empirical evidence linking parental nonstandard work schedules to four main child developmental outcomes: internalizing and externalizing problems, cognitive development, and body mass index. We evaluated the studies based on theory and methodological rigor (longitudinal data, representative samples, consideration of selection and information bias, confounders, moderators, and mediators). Of 23 studies published between 1980 and 2012 that met the selection criteria, 21 reported significant associations between nonstandard work schedules and an adverse child developmental outcome. The associations were partially mediated through parental depressive symptoms, low quality parenting, reduced parent–child interaction and closeness, and a less supportive home environment. These associations were more pronounced in disadvantaged families and when parents worked such schedules full time. We discuss the nuance, strengths, and limitations of the existing studies, and propose recommendations for future research. 2014 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/26319 10.1007/s10935-013-0318-z Springer fulltext
spellingShingle Shift work
schedules
Child mental health
Nonstandard work
Child obesity
Cognitive development
Parental employment
Li, Jianghong
Johnson, S.
Han, W.
Andrews, S.
Kendall, Garth
Strazdins, L.
Dockery, Alfred Michael
Parents' nonstandard work schedules and child well-being: A critical review of the literature
title Parents' nonstandard work schedules and child well-being: A critical review of the literature
title_full Parents' nonstandard work schedules and child well-being: A critical review of the literature
title_fullStr Parents' nonstandard work schedules and child well-being: A critical review of the literature
title_full_unstemmed Parents' nonstandard work schedules and child well-being: A critical review of the literature
title_short Parents' nonstandard work schedules and child well-being: A critical review of the literature
title_sort parents' nonstandard work schedules and child well-being: a critical review of the literature
topic Shift work
schedules
Child mental health
Nonstandard work
Child obesity
Cognitive development
Parental employment
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/26319