The significance of family, work, and power relations for mothers' mental health

The connections among employment and family conditions, gender, and psychol ogical distress are examined using a power relations framework with a sampl e of mothers. We consider how broader societal conditions impact on mother' s lives to differentially shape their opportunities and rewards, and theref ore their distress. Employment, as well as income and control, benefit moth er's mental health. Single parenthood per se is not a risk factor for distr ess. Rather, increased childcare strain, the lack of adequate financial res ources and the employment opportunities associated with lone-motherhood dis advantage these women.