Examination of elementary and junior high school teachers’ children’s psychological experiences which parents occupation elicit: The factors that cause differences in children’s cognition towards mothers and mothers’ occupation

Abstract

Issues of Japanese elementary and junior high school teachers’ stress and working pressure have been argued, but their working environment has not improved. Female teachers are particularly prone to various difficulties in achieving compatibility with family life, especially with child rearing. In this study, we conducted 1) the semi-structured interview for children whose mothers were elementary and junior high school teachers, and 2) the questionnaire survey towards mothers to investigate their environment of child rearing and the children’s unique psychological experiences. As a result, there are mainly two aspects of children’s unique psychological experiences. The one is related to mothers, such as their mothers’ free time and mental space to be in contact with them. And the other is related to evaluation from the surroundings, such as stereotyped as “a teacher’s child”. This unique psychological experiences of teachers’ children elicited children’s affirmative or evasive feelings towards mothers and mothers' occupations