Predicting mental health problems among female managers in a changing organization

Studies show that women managers are subject to more stressors than are men in comparable positions and in general women also report higher levels of distress symptoms than men do. It is of particular importance to examine the components that can cause strain and mental health problems for female managers. A further aspect of the stress process, that has received increased attention, is coping. Several studies show that women, compared to men, tend to rely on emotion focused coping strategies. Some studies also shows that emotion focused strategies are linked to more health problems. The aim of the present study was to examine if stressors such as insecurity at work, lack of social support and control, work family conflict and quantitative demands predict female managers mental health problems. A further aim was to examine the role of coping strategies used by the female managers. Finally the individual characteristic of optimism in relation to mental health was studied. 82 female managers participated in an internet-based questionnaire. The questionnaire contained questions about demographic data, optimism, insecurity at work, lack of social support, lack control, work family conflict, quantitative demands, coping and mental health problems. The results showed that quantitative demands and the coping strategies venting of emotions and social joining predicted mental health problems. In addition optimism predicted less health problems