Understanding working mothers’ difficulty: From need frustration to family–work conflict

Previous research has primarily focused on the impact of basic psychological needs frustration on parenting styles and its effect on children. However, there is a lack of research on the impact of basic psychological needs frustration in mothers, particularly those who work full time. To fill the gap, this study explores how frustration of needs experienced by full-time working mothers in the family context relates to their experience of maternal stress and family-to-work conflict and the moderating role of financial motivation to work. In a three-wave study of 168 full-time working mothers, we discovered a positive correlation between basic psychological needs frustration and maternal stress, which in turn led to family-to-work conflict. These relationships were more pronounced among mothers with lower financial motivation to work, as opposed to those with higher. We conclude by discussing the implications of our research and suggesting areas for future study.