Article
Influence of Work-Life Balance among Employed Mothers on Children's Cognitive Performance and Emotional Regulation: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Darbhanga Region of Bihar
Growing female participation in paid work has raised interest in how mothers’ work-life balance affects child development. Nevertheless, there is scarce evidence from semi-urban and rural India, such as Bihar. A cross-sectional study explores the work-life balance of employed mothers and its impact on their school-going children’s cognitive performance and emotional regulation in Darbhanga district of Bihar. This study focuses on employed mothers with school-going children and analyses their work-life balance and children's cognitive functioning, and emotional regulation indicators. Contextual factors also include sociodemographic and family-related characteristics, including household income, occupation of the parents, family structure, childcare arrangements, and time spent with the child. In a thorough manner using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, the relationship between maternal work-life balance and child outcomes is studied. The research further investigates whether certain demographic and familial characteristics are associated with these outcomes. This study aims to generate evidence which is useful to families, educators, workplace stakeholders, and policymakers by examining the link between maternal employment experiences and child development in a regional Indian setting. The results have implications for family-supportive practices, workplace policies, and efforts to promote healthier work-family conditions and positive child development.