Socio-cultural practices and stress among working mothers of underage children in the Public Universities of Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the sociocultural factors that bring about stress to working mothers of underage children at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka by recruiting 504 academic and non-academic staff. To assess the study variables in a cross-sectional survey, a questionnaire, and an in-depth interview schedule were employed in collecting data from working mothers of underage children in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The Chi-square (?2) statistical analysis indicated that there is a significant relationship between the husband’s attitude towards domestic duties and the stressful experience of working mothers with underage children. The data also demonstrated that there is no statistically significant relationship between the husband’s educational status and the stressful experience of working mothers with underage children. The study concluded that the husband’s attitude is a significant predictor of working mothers of underage children’s stress experience. It was, therefore, recommended that policies should be enacted by the Nigerian government and enforced in public sectors to enhance ‘favorable’ working conditions for working mothers of underage children. This should include an extension of maternity leave to at least six months, less demanding/accommodative job times, and assigned duties in tunes that do not compromise the ethos of a given profession.