INTRODUCTION:

Ira Das and Reena Mathew (1997) concluded that the role of women in society has radically changed and is still changing in most of the developing countries. In India, during last four or five decades tremendous changes have been seen in the status and position of women in society. The rural women of low socio economic status, who constitute about 80% of the population in India, have been found in their occupational status with the development of technology and education. As a result of this educational expansion a new section of women called working women has emerged and is rapidly expanding.

Kiran Mathur and Girishwar Misra (1997) suggested that employed mothers are more caustions and aware about the physical, psychological and intellectual needs of their children and they try to provide all types of support to their children, although they have to manage their times according to the needs of family and employment.

Gold and Andres (1978) said school age children consistently indicate that children of employed mothers are as confident in social settings and are more sociable with peers than children whose mothers remain at home.

Clarke-Stewart (1989), Hoffman (1989) suggested that the young children whose mothers are employed are more aggressive and less obedient than children care by their mother.

Bronfenbrenner (1986); Gold and Andres( 1978) found that middle class boys of working mothers tend to score lower in intelligence and academic achievement than boys whose mothers not employed. Particularly when their mothers work more than 40 hours a week.

Balk and Christoffel (1988), Binachi and Spalin (1986), observed that the mother’s status as working women has not been found consistently to have either positive or negative effects on children’s development and educational outcomes.

Belsky (1988), found that working women who scored high as measures of emotional well being, sensitivity to accept and acceptance of their children, satisfaction with non work time and positive feelings about their marriage were more likely to have securely attached infant, regardless of child care arrangements.

The investigator had observed during his experience that there is significant change in cognitive function of children in relation to maternal employment. This information ca lead to more appropriate nursing care for cognitive function of children subjected to employed and unemployed mothers. So the investigator was motivated to probe the cognitive function of children subjected to employed and unemployed mothers.

McGroder (2000), observed that children’s scores on measures of cognitive school readiness and personal maturity were significant predictors of parenting pattern; children’s verbal ability was no longer related to parenting pattern once significant maternal characteristics were controlled. Maternal characteristics are maternal education, duration of welfare and age at first birth.

McGroder (2000), found that, children’s cognitive school readiness and personal maturity were significantly related to parenting pattern; even after controlling for significant predictors of parenting pattern; children’s verbal ability was no longer related to parenting pattern once significant maternal characteristics were controlled.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

A study to compare the cognitive function of children belonging to employed and unemployed mothers at a selected school at Chennai

OBJECTIVES

1. To identify the demographic variables of children belonging to employed and unemployed mothers

2. To assess the cognitive function of children belonging to employed mothers

3. To assess the cognitive function of children belonging to unemployed mothers

4. To compare the cognitive function between children belonging to employed and unemployed mothers

5. To find the association between demographic variables and the cognitive function of children belonging to employed and unemployed mothers

HYPOTHESIS

H_{1 :}There is significant difference in cognitive function of children belonging to employed and unemployed mothers.

METHODS AND MATERIALS:

RESEARCH APPROACH AND RESEARCH DESIGN

A comparative descriptive method, which helps to provide factual information about existing phenomena

SETTING OF THE STUDY

The study was conducted in KVM Matriculation School, Iyyappanthangal at Chennai

POPULATION

Children belonging to employed and unemployed mothers

SAMPLE, SAMPLE SIZE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

The sample of the study included 30 children belonging to employed mothers and 30 children belonging to unemployed mothers between the age group of 5 to 10 years, selected by stratified random sampling technique.

DEVELOPMENT OF TOOL

Section A : A structured interview schedule was developed to identify the demographic variables of children included age, sex, religion, economic status of the family , educational status of the mother, siblings, peers, type of family, location of the family , mass media, health status of the children, test marks , attendance and doing home work.

Section B: Binet – Kamath Intelligent test was administered to assess the cognitive function of children belonging to employed and unemployed mothers.

PLAN FOR DATA ANALYSIS

The data were analysed by using both descriptive and inferential statistics

Ø Baseline proforma of the samples were described by frequency and percentage distribution

Ø Mean, standard deviation and mean percentage was used to assess the cognitive function of children belonging to employed and unemployed mothers

Ø Student ‘t’ test was used to compare the cognitive function of children belonging to employed and unemployed mothers

Ø Chi square test was used to find out the relationship between demographic variables and the cognitive function of children belonging to employed and unemployed mothers.

RESULTS:

Section 1: Related to demographic variables:

Children of employed mothers

· Most (37%) of children were 9 years of age

· 60 % of children were male

· Most (90%) of the Hindu

· Most (93%) of children health status are healthy

· 27% of mothers were degree holder

· 60% of them were nuclear family

· 40% of them were economic status of between Rs 2001 – 3000

· Most (40% ) of children attendance between 71% to 80%

· Most (57% ) of children rank between 1 - 10

· Most (43% ) of children doing homework regularly

Children of unemployed mothers

· Most (37%) of children were 7 years of age

· 47 % of children were male

· Most (97%) of the Hindu

· Most (80%) of children health status are healthy

· 43% of mothers were higher secondary

· 77% of them were nuclear family

· 47% of them were economic status of between Rs 2001 – 3000

· Most (43% ) of children attendance between 71% to 80%

· Most (40% ) of children failed

· Most (30% ) of children doing homework regularly

Section 2: The mean value for the cognitive function of children belonging to employed mothers was 81.5 and SD was 11.4. The mean value and SD for the cognitive function of children belonging to unemployed mothers found to be 81.0 and 11.5. Student t – test proved that there was no significant difference between employed and unemployed mothers.

Section 3: Level of cognitive function of children reveals that 40% of children belonging to employed mothers were between the intelligent quotient of 81 -90 (Dull). The same time, 33% of children belonging to unemployed mothers were between the intelligent quotient of 70 -80 (Borderline).

Section 4: There was no significant association with cognitive function of children belonging to employed and unemployed mothers with demographic variables like age, sex, religion, economic status of the family , educational status of the mother, siblings, peers, type of family, location of the family , mass media, health status of the children, test marks , attendance and doing home work.

CONCLUSION:

Based on above findings of the study, implications and recommendation were drawn for nursing service, administration, education and research. The study concluded that no significant association between the cognitive function of children belonging to employed and unemployed mothers.

RECOMMENDATION

· A similar study could be conducted to the larger sample for the cognitive function of children belonging to employed and unemployed mothers.

· Different models of nursing interventions would be systematically tried with cognitive function of children belonging to employed and unemployed mothers.

· A similar comparative study could be conducted for the emotional development of children belonging to employed and unemployed mothers.

· A similar comparative study could be conducted for the behavioral problems children belonging to employed and unemployed mothers

· A similar comparative study could be conducted for the cognitive function preschool children belonging to employed and unemployed mothers

· A comparative study can be undertaken to compare the problems faced by the employed and unemployed mothers.

REFERENCES:

1. Donna L Wong (1995). Nursing care of Infants and Children, 5^th edition, Philadelphia : Mosby.

2. Irene M Bobak (1999). Maternity Nursing. 5^th edition, Philadelphia : Mosby.

3. Mary Ellen Aver, Lewis R First (1994). Paediatric Medicine 2^nd edition. Philadelphia : Williams and Wilkins.

4. Mary Ann Boyd and MaryAn Nihart (1994). Psychiartic Nursing, Philadelphia : Lippincott.

5. Mary CJ Rudolf and Malcom I Levene (1999). Pediartics and Child Health , Victoria, Blackwell Science.

Received on 05.07.2012 Modified on 15.07.2012

Asian J. Nur. Edu. and Research 2(3): July-Sept. 2012; Page 104-106