Journal of Rural Community Psychology Volume E11 (1) Employment Patterns, Family Resources, and Perception: Examining Depressive Symptoms among Rural Low-Income Mothers

Using family stress management theory, this longitudinal study examined how employment patterns, family coping resources, and perceptions of financial well-being influenced depressive symptoms of rural low-income mothers. We identified four employment patterns among 233 rural mothers: stable employment, switching employment, intermittent employment, and continuous unemployment. The results indicated that two of the employment patterns were correlated with, but did not predict, maternal depressive symptoms over the time span of this study. Instead, hierarchical regression analysis suggested that physical health status at Time1 and change in perceived income significantly impacted mothers ’ mental health. The results demonstrate that employment alone cannot improve mental health of rural low-income mothers. Implications for practitioners and policy makers are discussed