The Influence of Women Teachers’ Familial Responsibilities on their Self-Actualization

Abstract

The aim of this study is to reveal the influence of women teachers’ familial responsibilities on their self-actualization and to offer solutions for their gender-specific barriers, if any. As being a multiple-case qualitative inquiry, the study involved 12 women teachers from one primary and two secondary schools in the province of Konya. In order to add variety to study findings, the participants were selected according to two categories as (a) six subject teachers who are aged below 35 and their children are at primary school age or younger, and (b) two subject and four primary school teachers who are aged above 40 and their children are at high school age or older. Findings were presented under headings of (a) The level of participants’ self-actualization, (b) Participants’ emotional reactions in the face of their conditions, (c) Barriers stemming from familial responsibilities, (d) External conditions which make it difficult to overcome the barriers, (e) External conditions which make it easier to overcome the barriers, (f) Personal characteristics which make it easier to overcome the barriers, (g) The advantage of having a child in the process of self-actualization. Implications for research and application were also discussed at the end of the study. To put it briefly, motherhood as an experience provides an advantage in terms of self-actualization in the long-run, but if the childcare options are inadequate, then it is a temporary impediment on the way towards self-actualization as well.