Shift Work, Role Overload, and the Transition to Parenthood

TLDR

The article investigates how work hours, schedules, and role overload among working‑class couples influence depressive symptoms and relationship conflict during the transition to parenthood. Data were collected from 132 dual‑earner couples who were interviewed five times throughout the transition. Results showed that evening or night shifts were linked to higher depressive symptoms, rotating shifts predicted relationship conflict among mothers, and increased role overload was associated with both depression and conflict, with night shifts explaining additional variance beyond role overload.

Abstract

This article examines how the work hours, work schedules, and role overload of working-class couples are related to depressive symptoms and relationship conflict across the transition to parenthood. Data are from 132 dual-earner couples interviewed 5 times across the transition. Multilevel modeling analyses revealed that working evening or night shifts, as opposed to day shifts, was related to higher levels of depressive symptoms. For mothers only, working rotating shifts predicted relationship conflict. Increases in role overload were positively related to both depression and conflict; working a nonday shift explained variance in depression and conflict above and beyond role overload. Results suggest that for new parents, working nonday shifts may be a risk factor for depressive symptoms and relationship conflict.