I am because I have to be: Exploring one mother‐worker's identity of the surrendered self through stories of mothering neurodiverse children

Our qualitative study delves into the life history of a mother‐worker caring for two neurodiverse children, surfacing how the intensive mental load of balancing domestic and professional responsibilities permeates and shapes her identity. Employing narrative analysis and photovoice methods, we inves...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Gender, work, and organization work, and organization, 2025-01, Vol.32 (1), p.161-180
Main Authors: Owens‐Schill, Angela, Peticca‐Harris, Amanda, Elias, Sara R. S. T. A., deGama, Nadia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Children
Coping
disability & neurodiversity
Identity
Life history
Mothers
mother‐worker identities
narrative analysis
Neurodiversity
Photography
photovoice methods
Storytelling
surrendered self
Working mothers
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Summary:Our qualitative study delves into the life history of a mother‐worker caring for two neurodiverse children, surfacing how the intensive mental load of balancing domestic and professional responsibilities permeates and shapes her identity. Employing narrative analysis and photovoice methods, we investigate how she navigates the logistical and emotional complexities in both roles across three distinct storytelling events: storying (mis)diagnoses, storying care needs and work negotiations, and storying coping. Our primary contribution lies in introducing the concept of the surrendered self, signaling the amplified and prolonged embodiment of one's provisional identity (mother) based on socio‐cultural expectations of who she thinks she ought to be, leading to the eclipse of other possible identities (woman, wife, worker).
ISSN:0968-6673
1468-0432
DOI:10.1111/gwao.13139