The United States is the only high-income country that does not have a national policy mandating paid leave to working women who give birth. Increased rates of maternal employment post-birth call for greater understanding of the effects of family leave on infant development. This study examined the links between paid leave and toddler language, cognitive, and socioemotional outcomes (24–36 months; N = 328). Results indicate that paid leave was associated with better language outcomes, regardless of socioeconomic status. Additionally, paid leave was correlated with fewer infant behavior problems for mothers with lower levels of educational attainment. Expanding access to policies that support families in need, like paid family leave, may aid in reducing socioeconomic disparities in infant development.

中文翻译：

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带薪产假与幼儿期更好的语言和社会情感结果相关


美国是唯一一个没有国家政策强制生育的职业女性带薪休假的高收入国家。产后产妇就业率的提高要求人们更好地了解探亲假对婴儿发育的影响。本研究探讨了带薪休假与幼儿语言、认知和社会情感结果之间的联系（24-36 个月； N = 328）。结果表明，无论社会经济地位如何，带薪休假与更好的语言成果相关。此外，对于教育程度较低的母亲来说，带薪休假与婴儿行为问题较少相关。扩大获得支持有需要的家庭的政策的机会，例如带薪家庭假，可能有助于减少婴儿发育方面的社会经济差距。