An exploration into the lived experience of mature, professionally employed mothers of children in the primary-age phase: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Harris, Clare

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An exploration into the lived experience of mature, professionally employed mothers of children in the primary-age phase: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

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Harris, Clare (2024) An exploration into the lived experience of mature, professionally employed mothers of children in the primary-age phase: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. PhD thesis, University of Gloucestershire. doi:10.46289/ZAAY9254

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.46289/ZAAY9254

Abstract

This thesis presents an in-depth, idiographic analysis of the lived experience of mature, professionally employed mothers in England with parental responsibility for children in the primary school phase (aged 4-11 years). Identified as an under-researched group, this study aims to provide insight into the lived experiences of six mothers in dual-earning, heterosexual coupled relationships. Guided by the theoretical and procedural principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), semi-structured interviews were undertaken with six participants. An inductive, iterative seven-step analysis process focussing on exploring, foregrounding, and interpreting the individual and group experiential themes. Three super-ordinate experiential themes emerged from the interviews: ‘Impact of a working motherhood’, ‘Managing a working motherhood’ and ‘Internal and external influences on a working motherhood’. Parallels between these findings and existing literature are evident. However, the sparse representation of this group of mothers at this specific life course point means that the nuanced analysis advanced throughout this thesis provides original insight. In particular, the intersection of the mother, child and school within the mother-child interactions creates a perfect climate for generating and enacting intensive mothering and neoliberal subjectivities by each party. The mothers' experiences convey significant adverse affective responses to these interactions that infect mothers’ thoughts and actions. Situated within the dominant intensive mothering, ideal worker and neoliberal parental involvement discourse, the apparent interconnectedness of the mother-child-school raises the question of how this marketised, neoliberal, competitive education ecosystem manifests itself within the mother-child dyad experience. Implications are various and are designed to inform broader discussion around motherhood and the principles and practices of educationalists, policymakers and workplaces. The associated recommendations include emphasising the need to revisit parental involvement policies to reconsider the educational purpose of daytime events within the contemporary employment context.

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Thesis (PhD)

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