Effects of Housework and Paid Work Time on Happiness Among Self-Employed Mothers: A Comparison with Wage-Employed Mothers

This study examines the determinants of happiness among working mothers with children, focusing on differences between self-employed and wage-employed mothers. Using data from the 9th wave (2023) of the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families, the analysis includes 168 self-employed mothers and 763 wage-employed mothers. The findings are as follows. First, self-employed mothers spend more time on market work and less time on commuting and household management than wage-employed mothers. No statistically significant difference in caregiving time is observed between the two groups. Second, in both groups, spouses’ household labor time, mothers’ leisure time, and spouses’ income were positively associated with happiness. However, differential associations were also observed between the two groups. Among self-employed mothers, greater engagement in active leisure activities, fewer children, and having a high school education or less, rather than an associate degree, were associated with higher levels of happiness. Among wage-employed mothers, longer caregiving time, younger age, having a bachelor’s degree or higher (compared to those with a high school education or less), and residence in metropolitan areas are associated with higher levels of happiness. These findings suggest the need for family and childcare policies that explicitly include the self-employed, promote fathers’ participation in household labor, and expand access to high-quality leisure opportunities, particularly for self-employed mothers with children.