Some demographic, personality, and role variables as correlates of women's well-being

Psychological Well-Being of Female-Headed Households Based on Age Stratification: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study in South Korea

The female-headed household is a new vulnerable group associated with health inequality. The purpose of this study was to analyze psychological well-being and related factors among Korean female-headed households based on age stratification. This was a secondary analysis of data extracted from the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey (2017), which included a total of 9084 female-headed households. Their psychological well-being was measured by the WHO-5 well-being index. A total of 39.8% of female-headed household workers were psychologically unhealthy. Among them, 2.2% of those aged 15-30 years old, 8.1% aged 30-50 years old, and 29.5% over aged 50 years old were unhealthy. In the age group of 15-30 years old, depression/anxiety was negatively associated with psychological well-being. In the age group of 30-50 years old, living alone, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and depression/anxiety were negatively associated with psychological well-being. In the age group over 50 years old, low education level, living alone, low income, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and depression/anxiety were negatively associated with psychological well-being. The psychological well-being perceived by female households is complex and goes beyond economic poverty and dependent burdens. Therefore, a multidimensional support strategy should be included in the concept of social deprivation, and a preventive approach is needed to establish a support system.

Work Role and Health in a Sample of Spanish Women

In this study, the relationship between work role and health was analysed in a sample of 712 women from the Canary Islands. The women, who ranged in age from 18 to 65 years old (mean = 37.5; SD = 19.5), came from different socio-cultural and work backgrounds. The results of the study show that the most relevant variable in the well-being of these women was their work role satisfaction. The most satisfied women showed less anxiety and depression, and had higher self-esteem and a higher overall level of satisfaction. After adjusting for differences in age, no significant health differences remained among women with a different number of roles and different occupational status. We have concluded that a woman's well-being fundamentally rests in her opportunity to perform the work role she desires, without having to restrict herself to the traditional role of homemaker or being forced to become a high-achieving professional.

Gender Role Internalization, Multiple Roles, and Chinese Women's Mental Health

The influence of gender role internalization as a moderator in the relationship between women's multiple roles and psychological distress was investigated. Study 1 identified three components of gender role internalization, which were labeled “Traditional Ideal Person,” “Self-Sacrifice,” and “Competence Without Complaint,” and found that it did not, overlap with existing gender-typed measures among 128 female Chinese university students. The multidimensionality of gender role internalization was confirmed in Study 2 among a sample of 225 women in the paid Hong Kong workforce. As expected, role quality was a better predictor of psychological distress than role quantity. Gender role internalization accounted for significant portions of explained variance even after taking role quality into account. Internalization of Traditional Ideal Person and Competence Without Complaint messages exacerbated distress in certain areas when role quality was low. However, internalization of Self-Sacrifice messages mitigated distress for Chinese women with low work quality.

Malaysian Women's State of Well-Being: Empirical Validation of a Conceptual Model

The author carried out the present study to examine the determinants of Malaysian women's well-being. Specifically, the author proposed a theoretical model of women's roles and well-being--made up of roles, negative affectivity, conflict, and health--and statistically validated it in a group of women occupying both work and family roles (N = 389). Using a life-course approach (P. Moen, 1998) to roles and well-being, the author further examined the model in women of 3 different age groups (age of Group 1 = 20-29 years, age of Group 2 = 30-39 years, and age of Group 3 = 40 years and older). The results supported the proposed model, which showed reasonable fit when applied to the 3 groups of women. The results also indicated that the predictors of women's well-being differ according to their respective age groups. The author discussed these findings in relation to the life-course approach to women's roles.

Dual work and family roles and depressive symptoms in two birth cohorts of women

BACKGROUND

Rising depression rates in more recent cohorts of women have been attributed in part to their increased participation in dual family and work roles.

METHOD

This study examined associations among depressive symptoms, age, and work and marital status in two cohorts of women, all mothers, born between 1931 and 1944 (preboomers) or between 1945 and 1958 (baby boomers), assessed at comparable ages.

RESULTS

Being married (vs. divorced) was related to less depression within and across cohorts, whereas working was related to more depression in preboomers only. Moreover, divorced working preboomers were significantly more depressed than women in most other role status groups within and across cohorts. Depression scores declined across age among working women in the combined cohorts; however, that association held only for baby boomers when cohorts were analyzed separately. Among divorced working women, that decline was significantly greater in baby boomers than preboomers.

CONCLUSIONS

These cohort differences support a call for new social policies that address the mental health needs of women and their children.