Multiple Role Women: Inter-Role Compatibility Perceptions and Coping Effectiveness and Adjustment.

Using conflict (Goode, 1960) and enhancement (Marks, 1977; Sieber, 1974; Thoits, 1983) role frameworks, a longitudinal study was designed to study perceptions of inter-role compability and conflict among married women professionals with preschool children. It was hypothesized that inter-role conflict/enhancement perceptions were not mutually exclusive, but could best be depicted by a typology reflecting both conflict and enhancement dimensions. Further hypothesized was that location within the typology was related to coping effectiveness. The sample consisted of 158 women, each employed full time in one of two occupational groups: college professor or middle-level manager. All women were identified through their employers and business women were recruited from a stratified r and om sample of either law, accounting, advertising, or banking firms. These data were based on face to face interviews which were conducted at the first of four time points. Multiple, st and ardized instruments were used to measure perceptions of role conflict/enhancement, as well as several indicators of coping effectiveness, including depression, positive affect, and social functioning. The findings support the major hypotheses. Women's inter-role perceptions of enhancement and conflict were not unidimensional, but were simultaneously held in varying degrees as depicted in a four cell typology. Certain covariates such as internal (dispositional optimism) and external (income, spouse support) resources were also examined. Analysis of variance and covariance indicated the location in the role concurrence typology was related to measures of coping effectiveness, especially depression and parenting satisfaction indices. The low conflict/high enhancement typology was most strongly associated with coping effectiveness. Results indicate it is important to consider both conflict and enhancement attitudes in underst and ing adaptation to multiple roles and that these cognitions may be important mediators in the stress process. Research based knowledge on the ways role articulation perceptions affect coping is foundational in recommending strategies for the nursing management of families in which both parents are employed.PhDWomen's studiesSocial psychologyUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/161733/1/8801431.pd