Date of Award
8-2017
Culminating Project Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Higher Education Administration: Ed.D.
Department
Educational Administration and Higher Education
College
School of Education
First Advisor
Steven McCullar
Second Advisor
Frances Kayona
Third Advisor
Michael Mills
Fourth Advisor
Jodi Kuznia
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Keywords and Subject Headings
student affairs, working mothers, work-life balance
Abstract
Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how mothers, working as mid-level student affairs professionals, perceive and navigate their dual roles at work and in the home. This study asked the following: how does the participant’s sense of identity, relational style, adaptive style, and drive and motivation shape her work-life balance decisions and practices? What personal strategies are these working mothers using as they respond to the demands of the dual roles of professional and parent? Using a basic qualitative research design, I explored the work-life experiences of eight female student affairs professionals through participant interviews. Data were coded and analyzed from the life course perspective, a theoretical framework that has identified four distinct factors found to be critical markers for shaping adult gender role choices and decisions: sense of identity, relational style, adaptive style, and personal drive and motivation (Giele, 2008). Several major findings emerged from the study. First, early life experiences significantly impacted the personal identity, relational style, drive and motivation, and adaptive style of the women participating in the study. Second, these four factors directly impact life course decisions and trajectory of mothers working as Student Affairs professionals. Finally, these four factors exert significant influence on the strategies employed by these women to promote work-life balance.
Recommended Citation
DeMinck, Debra K., "Female Student Affairs Professionals and Work-Life Balance" (2017). Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration. 16.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/hied_etds/16
