Malaysian women's state of well-being: Empirical validation of a conceptual model

ABSTRACT. 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 fam-ily 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. Key words: distress, life satisfaction, model validation, physical health, roles, work–family conflict MALAYSIAN WOMEN’S WELL-BEING—the purpose of the present study was to examine its determinants. Specifically, I statistically validated a theoreti-cal model of women’s roles and well-being and examined this model using a life-course approach (Moen, 1998) to roles and well-being. Researchers examining women’s roles and well-being have indicated that well-being is determined by one’s role experiences (e.g., Barnett & Hyde, 2001) and demographic variables such as age, education, marital status, number of chil