A multivariate analysis of the predictors of intention to leave child care work

In accordance with the theoretical supposition of Fishbein (1967), conceptual models of the turnover process have proposed that work attitudes lead to withdrawal intentions, and that these intentions govern actual turnover behavior. This study tested several propositions derived from current conceptualizations of the turnover process, focusing primarily on the relation of organizational commitment and job facet satisfaction to intention to leave. A nonprobability sample of 223 child care workers employed in licensed center-based programs in four metropolitan areas of Indiana completed and returned questionnaires designed to gather information on work attitudes. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship of organizational commitment, job facet satisfaction, and perceived availability of alternative employment to intention to leave. Congruence variables measuring the degree of fit between actual and ideal conditions of child care work were added to those in the model. The results indicated that commitment, satisfaction with pay and opportunities for promotion, perceived job alternatives, and congruence with the ideal for the work itself contributed significantly to explained variance in intention to leave. When regression analyses were performed with a subsample of 75 child care workers who specified intentions of leaving because of work, only commitment significantly predicted intention to leave. The findings suggest that organizational commitment is the main factor contributing to withdrawal intentions, in contrast to previous research which has suggested that low pay and poor working conditions are the main reasons for turnover among child care workers. Implications for understanding the withdrawal process and improving the work attitudes of child care workers are discussed, along with directions for future research