Work loss faced by mothers caring for children with disabilities in Japan

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25510007
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: ケア学
• Research Institution: Ibaraki Christian University
• Principal Investigator: EJIRI Keiko 茨城キリスト教大学, 文学部, 教授 (80320620)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 松澤 明美 茨城キリスト教大学, 看護学部, 准教授 (20382822)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 母親 / 就労 / 経済 / 障害児 / 障害児家族 / 家族支援 / 貧困 / 精神的健康

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A questionnaire survey was conducted for 243 Japanese mothers with children aged 6 to 18 years old enrolled in a Special Education Needs School for intellectually disabled children. The mothers in our sample showed a lower employment rate(49%) compared with the average rate(71%) among Japanese mothers with children in the same age group. Over half(57%) of unemployed mothers expressed a desire to work. About 62% of mothers belonged to a lower income group, compared to 33% of Japanese families rearing children. The mothers’single-parent-status, good health, college-level education, use of childcare services, and children’s age were positively associated with paid employment. In particular, mothers’good health was strongly associated with their paid employment. These findings suggest that further maternal health care and social support are needed to enhance workforce participation of mothers with children with disabilities.

Free Research Field

心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

障害児を育てる母親の就労状況や、それに影響する要因に関しては、これまで我が国においては、ほとんど実証データが示されてこなかった。こうしたなか、本研究では、質問紙調査をもとに、障害児の母親における就労および経済状況が一般児童世帯の母親に比べて厳しいこと、また、母親の就労には健康状態が強く影響していることを明らかにした。今後、障害児の母親らに対してより一層の経済支援や就労支援、また健康のケアが必要であること示した点で、本研究の学術的・社会的意義は高いと言える。