MATERNAL GUILT AND WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT IN WORKING MOTHERS: AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY ON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT FOR MOTHERS AND CHILDREN
Abstract
Working mothers in modern industrial sectors often bear complex double burdens (double burden). The overlap between professional and domestic responsibilities frequently triggers maternal guilt and parenting stress (parental burnout), which directly implicates parenting patterns and the psychological condition of children. Objective: This study aims to explore in-depth the dynamics of identity shock, role conflict, maternal guilt, coping mechanisms, and the role of traumatic breaking points as existential alarms that prompt adaptation decisions for the child's psychological recovery. This qualitative research utilizes an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) design. Three dominant participants with contrasting backgrounds were purposively selected: P1 (a freelance graphic designer with a child recovering from depression), P2 (a former state-owned enterprise [SOE] employee who took early retirement), and P3 (an active bank employee). Data were collected through semi-structured retrospective in-depth interviews and analyzed using standard IPA procedures. The analysis identified four primary themes: (1) Identity shock and double burden conflict triggered by cultural expectations; (2) The spectrum of maternal guilt and separation distress varying by job type, such as 'no limit time' in SOEs, long-distance marriages (LDM), and work-life blur in freelancing; (3) Mothers' perceptions of children's emotional dynamics and development, including lived experience of adolescent depression (based on psychological consultation history), observations of motor stimulation delays, and perceptions of emotional crises following past domestic conflict; (4) The role of traumatic breaking points (a child scalded by hot water or experiencing bullying) as triggers for turning points in major maternal decisions (early retirement, freelance career, divorce) for child recovery. The integration of assertive external partner support (coparenting) and internal spiritual-based regulation (spiritual framing) using patience (sabr), acceptance (rida), and trust in God (tawakal) is crucial for working mothers in maintaining relational harmony and restoring family mental health.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30829/jai.v15i4.31725
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