Nonstandard Work Schedules and Perceived Instrumental Support among Working Mothers

Jessica Su, University at Buffalo, State University of New York (SUNY)
Rachel Dunifon, Cornell University

Previous research examines the consequences of nonstandard work schedules (work outside of the typical 9-5, Monday-Friday schedule) for individuals and their families, but it is unclear whether these consequences extend to other social relationships for working mothers. Nonstandard schedules may weaken a working mother’s social ties and limit the availability of social support. Using a sample of working mothers from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), we find evidence that mothers who worked nonstandard schedules perceived less instrumental social support compared to mothers who worked standard schedules, even after employing propensity score techniques to address some concerns about selection bias. Furthermore, we find that this negative association is moderated by race; African American mothers who work nonstandard schedules reported significantly less perceived social support compared to White mothers who work nonstandard schedules.