BLACK-AND-WHITE COLLEGE WOMENS MATERNAL EMPLOYMENT OUTCOME EXPECTATIONS AND THEIR DESIRED TIMING OF MATERNAL EMPLOYMENT

In an attempt to better understand college women's maternal employment plans, this study compared the ability of different types of maternal employment outcome expectations to predict college women's desired ti ming of their maternal employment. A mailed questionnaire examined Bla ck (n = 113) and White (n = 189) college women's maternal employment t iming preference and their perceptions of the likelihood of 30 possibl e outcomes of maternal employment. Regressions showed that White women 's expectations about the benefits for themselves and the costs for th eir children predicted their desired maternal employment timing. No va riables predicted the timing preference of Black women. Additionally, the Black compared to White respondents expected maternal employment w ould bring fewer personal costs and more benefits for their children a nd they desired employment earlier in their child's life. Discussion f ocuses on Black and White women's conceptions of the integration of th e employment and domestic roles.