Impact of work, family, and welfare receipt on women's self-esteem in young adulthood

This study analyzes the impact of work, family, and welfare on change in white women's self-esteem from 1980, when the women were age 15-23, to 1987, when they were 22-30. National Longitudinal Survey of Youth data are used to test the effects of work, family, and welfare roles, conditions, and length of role occupancy on change in self-esteem during the transition to adulthood. The results show that marriage tends to improve self-esteem, whereas motherhood and welfare receipt depress it. The effect of being employed interacts with age and motherhood; the positive effect of being employed on change in self-esteem is strongest for younger mothers; the effect is slightly negative for older, childless women. Several conditions of work and family mediate the effects of role occupancy on change in self-esteem. The study concludes with implications for public and private work and family policies, and for welfare reform.