A study on how maternal attachment and the reflective capacity of employed mothers affect work productivity and their children -රැකියාවල නියුතු මව්වරුන්ගේ මාතෘ බැඳීම සහ පරාවර්තක හැකියාව රැකියා ඵලදායිතාවයට සහ ඔවුන්ගේ දරුවන්ට බලපාන්නේ කෙසේද යන්න පිළිබඳ අධ්‍යයනයක

When a woman becomes employed, she is subjected to the influence of a patriarchal society. Women often face limitations in accessing certain types of employment, and even when employed, there is a trend of receiving lower wages compared to men. The idea that women spend less time in the workforce over their lifetime compared to men is gradually changing. Today, women participate in the world of work almost equally to men, yet they are engaged in dual responsibilities — professional and domestic. Thus, women fulfill duties in both professional and household spheres.
At present, the number of employed women is steadily increasing. Most working women also play the roles of wives and mothers, managing both household responsibilities and professional work. Socially, the role of a woman is still confined to the home. During the early childhood years of their children, mothers play a fundamental role in nurturing them to become good citizens. Many children who engage in anti-social behavior often lack sufficient parental affection. A positive relationship between mother and child is essential for the child’s mental well-being. In child development, both biological bonding and emotional attachment are highly important.
Even though an employed mother may have biological bonding with her child, she may not have the opportunity to develop a successful emotional connection. If the relationship between mother and child is weak or broken, it can negatively impact the child’s moral development. For proper social integration, a supportive, empathetic, and cooperative environment is necessary — something the child may lose when the mother is employed.
The role of a mother is emotional and reflective in nature. Women provide warmth, protection, and spiritual support essential for a child's development. When employed mothers try to fulfill these needs, they may find it difficult to achieve professional goals simultaneously. Often, mothers work during the very hours that are most critical for child development, thereby hindering the child's growth.
Women with heavy household responsibilities are often willing to take on only a limited set of tasks at their workplace. The stress caused by neglecting household duties also affects their work performance. The fatigue resulting from juggling both domestic and professional work can lead to behavioral changes and exhaustion. In such conditions, women are forced to carry out daily tasks under considerable strain. This stress can prevent them from achieving the expected level of productivity at work.
The primary objective of this study is to examine how maternal attachment and reflective capacity of employed women — who juggle dual responsibilities — affect both their work and their children. A secondary objective is to investigate how a mother’s employment impacts child development. Data was collected using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The sample consisted of 20 women employed in the private sector and 20 women employed in the public sector.