Low-Income Mothers' Employment Experiences: Prospective Links with Young Children's Development

This study assessed mothers' employment experiences and links with children's long-term cognitive achievement and socio-emotional adjustment using a representative sample of low-income mothers and children (N = 538) from the Three-City Study. Maternal employment involvement, quality, and stability were assessed over a 2-year period when children were aged 24 to 48months. Cluster analysis of the employment characteristics yielded 4 distinct employment patterns differing by the quality and stability of employment. OLS regression analyses linking these employment patterns with children's functioning at age 9 revealed that high-quality stable employment was associated with enhanced cognitive skills and behavioral functioning among children. Further analysis suggested the significance of mothers' consistent insurance benefits to the long-term well-being of their children.