Perceived consequences of female labor-force participation: a multilevel latent-class analysis across 22 countries

Abstract

This paper investigates whether there are different patterns of traditionality in different countries with regard to a perceived negative impact of labor-force participation of mothers on their children and family life. For this purpose, individual-level traditionality subgroups and segments of countries with different traditionality patterns of their nationals were identified simultaneously by means of multilevel latent-class (ML-LC) analysis of the answers to three items of the Changing Family and Gender Roles module of the International Social Survey Program (ISSP). This module was fielded in 22 countries in the years 1994 and 2002. Six individual-level subgroups and five country segments can be discerned. The structure of individual-level subgroups is almost identical in both years. Four individual-level subgroups differ only quantitatively in their level of traditionality. Two further subgroups are characterized by a unique tendency to defend working mothers against criticism. From 1994 to 2002 the sizes of traditional subgroups decrease, and there is also some change in the composition of country segments. This paper investigates whether there are different patterns of traditionality in different countries with regard to a perceived negative impact of labor-force participation of mothers on their children and family life. For this purpose, individual-level traditionality subgroups and segments of countries with different traditionality patterns of their nationals were identified simultaneously by means of multilevel latent-class (ML-LC) analysis of the answers to three items of the Changing Family and Gender Roles module of the International Social Survey Program (ISSP). This module was fielded in 22 countries in the years 1994 and 2002. Six individual-level subgroups and five country segments can be discerned. The structure of individual-level subgroups is almost identical in both years. Four individual-level subgroups differ only quantitatively in their level of traditionality. Two further subgroups are characterized by a unique tendency to defend working mothers against criticism. From 1994 to 2002 the sizes of traditional subgroups decrease, and there is also some change in the composition of country segments.

Este trabajo analiza si existen diferentes patrones de tradicionalismo en los diferentes países sobre la percepción de un impacto negativo de la participación laboral de las madres en sus hijos y en su vida familiar. Para ello se identificaron, de forma simultánea, subgrupos de tradicionalismo a nivel individual y segmentos de países con diferentes patrones de tradicionalismo de sus ciudadanos, a través de un análisis multinivel de clases latentes (ML-LC) de las respuestas a tres preguntas del módulo Familia y Roles de Género del International Social Survey Program (ISSP), que se aplicó en 22 países en los años 1994 y 2002. Se identificaron seis subgrupos de nivel individual y cinco segmentos de países. La estructura de los subgrupos a nivel individual es casi idéntica en ambos años. Cuatro subgrupos a nivel individual difieren solamente de manera cuantitativa en su nivel de tradicionalismo. Dos subgrupos más se caracterizan por una tendencia a defender de la crítica a las madres que trabajan. De 1994 a 2002 el tamaño de los subgrupos tradicionales disminuye, y también se ha producido algún cambio en la composición de los segmentos de países.