Mothers of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder were studied with regard to employment status, workplace characteristics, and depressive symptoms. Self-complexity theory proposes that complex self-representations buffer against depression; however, maternal… Click to show full abstract
Mothers of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder were studied with regard to employment status, workplace characteristics, and depressive symptoms. Self-complexity theory proposes that complex self-representations buffer against depression; however, maternal employment may challenge mothers’ ability to attend to the many needs of their children. Findings from our cross-sectional study of 176 mothers revealed that employed mothers reported fewer depressive symptoms than unemployed mothers and those employed part time, providing support for the self-complexity buffering hypothesis. Furthermore, low levels of parenting stress were associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Implications are provided for career counseling and future research.
               
Click one of the above tabs to view related content.