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Frontiers in Educational Research, 2025, 8(9); doi: 10.25236/FER.2025.080913.

Time Dilemmas and Coping Strategies for Academic Mothers: A Systematic Review

Author(s)

Yang Qian1,2, Ye Pengfei1

Corresponding Author:
Ye Pengfei
Affiliation(s)

1Graduate School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China

2Institute of Education, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China

Abstract

This review systematically examines time-related challenges faced by academic mothers across career stages (doctoral students, early-career faculty, professors) and identifies individual and institutional coping strategies to foster more inclusive academic environments. A systematic search in Web of Science using keywords ("academic mothers," "career," "time constraints," etc.) yielded 339 articles. After screening (removing duplicates, irrelevant studies), 75 articles were analyzed thematically. Academic mothers face institutional pressures (tight deadlines, unequal workloads), societal role conflicts, and personal exhaustion. Coping strategies include time management, social support (individual), and family-friendly policies, flexible work arrangements (institutional). Addressing time dilemmas requires institutional reforms (equitable policies) alongside individual adaptations. This review offers insights for fostering supportive academic environments for mothers.

Keywords

Academic Mothers; Intensive Mothering; Time Scarcity; Career

Cite This Paper

Yang Qian, Ye Pengfei. Time Dilemmas and Coping Strategies for Academic Mothers: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in Educational Research (2025), Vol. 8, Issue 9: 77-81. https://doi.org/10.25236/FER.2025.080913.

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