Forschung
Forschungsprofil
- Familienforschung
- Arbeitsmarktforschung
- Zufriedenheitsforschung
Aktuelle Projekte
"NONWELL: Consequences of nonstandard work schedules for parent and child well-being. A multi-country study" (with Jianghong Li).
DFG, 2023-2026.
In collaboration with Pablo Gracia (Trinity College Dublin), Wen-Jui Han (New York Universtiy), Lyndall Strazdins (Australian National University)
Summary
The emergence of the so-called “24/7 economy” has led to an increasing number of people working nonstandard schedules (e.g., evenings, nights, or weekends). These trends have dramatically altered family processes and interactions. Nonstandard work schedules (NSWS) can reduce the amount of time parents have available for their children and compromise parents’ mental health, thus limiting parenting capacities and weakening parent-child relationships. These negative impacts of NSWS on parents can ultimately affect children’s well-being.There is limited evidence to date on how nonstandard work schedules impact family well-being in different contexts. The proposed project, NONWELL, will examine the consequences of nonstandard work schedules for the psychological well-being of children and parents using large-scale longitudinal data from Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Our first aim in this project is to examine the consequences of NSWS for parents—in particular, for their mental health and well-being. Second, we will examine whether and how the consequences of NSWS for parents in turn affect their children’s well-being. To do so, we will analyze transmission pathways (mediating factors) and identify child, family, and job characteristics that mitigate or exacerbate the impact of NSWS on child well-being (moderating factors). Third, we will examine whether the impact of NSWS on parent and child well-being varies across countries with different family policies and working time regimes.
"Subjective well-being of parents and nonparents in middle and old age: Well-being premiums and penalties of parenthood in Germany and Europe". DFG, 2021-2024
Summary
This project examines the association between parental status and subjective well-being in middle and late life. Because adult children often provide care and support for aging parents, family researchers often argue that parents experience higher subjective well-being than nonparents. Others researchers, however, point out that strained parent-child relations can decrease older parents’ subjective well-being. Previous research on this association has produced inconsistent findings and is lim-ited in various ways. This project aims to generate new insights into well-being differ-ences between parents and childless individuals in Germany and Europe by examin-ing national (SOEP, DEAS) and international (SHARE, ESS) representative datasets.
The project in organized into three parts. In the first part takes into account the multi-dimensional nature of subjective well-being. Here, we will scrutinize the ways in which parenthood is associated with both positive and negative facets of subjective well-being, and whether positive and negative effects offset each other with regard to the overall impact of parenthood on subjective well-being.
The second part of the project will focus on heterogeneity in the association between parental status and subjective well-being. Here, we will examine whether this associ-ation is mediated and moderated by characteristics of the parent-child relationship and major events in the lives of adult children and older parents.
The third part of the project will analyse the extent to which the gap in subjective well-being between parents and nonparents varies by contextual factors. Here, we will address the question of whether differing levels of institutional support for elders and social norms towards parenthood moderate the association between parental status and subjective well-being.
Abgeschlossene Forschungsprojekte
"Elternschaft und Wohlbefinden: Individuelle, familiale und kontextuelle Determinanten der elterlichen Lebenszufriedenheit". DFG 2016-2021
"The 24/7 economy and the health and wellbeing of families and children in Germany" (mit Jianghong Li). DFG, 2015-2017
"Partnerschaft, Elternschaft und Erwerbstätigkeit: Auswirkungen familialer Übergänge auf das Erwerbsverhalten von Männern im Ländervergleich". DFG, 2012-2016