Fathers’ and Mothers’ Work and Family Issues as Related to Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior of Children Attending Day Care

Abstract

Relationships between work and family variables and children’s internalizing and externalizing behavior are examined in 132 dual-earner couples of preschool-age children. Mothers’ and fathers’ parenting stress and mothers’ work-family conflict predict children’s internalizing behavior; mothers’ work-family conflict, mothers’ and fathers’ parenting stress, the number of hours fathers’ worked, and mothers’ beliefs about father involvement predict externalizing symptoms in children. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of mothers’ and fathers’ work and family issues for children’s behavior.