Impacts of live-in foreign domestic workers on familial relations in Singaporean middle and upper-class households

• Main Authors: Chan, Kah May, Seah, Ming Xuan
• Other Authors: Sun Hsiao-Li Shirley
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: Social sciences::Sociology::Family, marriage and women
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/78823
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This study explores the impacts that live-in Foreign Domestic Workers (FDWs) have on familial relations within middle-class and upper-class families. Firstly, it describes how live-in FDWs impacts familial relations based on communication patterns, conflict management, quality time and caregiving duties. Subsequently, it expounds on previous literature done on the topic of FDWs and familial dynamics and reveals insights which will direct this research project. Additionally, this research aims to describe the methodology and sampling strategies employed to achieve the research objectives. Finally, findings will be discussed and from the results obtained, it was conclusive that the impacts of live-in FDWs on familial relations based on the four key dimensions were unique to different families. In comparison, middle-class families are usually more negatively affected than upper-class families. This is due to the live-in FDW’s role in her host family and limitations within the household’s living space.