Some working parents cope well with their multiple roles, whereas others do not. Explain the factors that are associated with positive and negative outcomes in juggling family and work roles.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Because concessions to working parents are rarely made at work and because mothers take on more household tasks and child care than fathers, home and work responsibilities may conflict with each other, increasing stress. Working women who have children at home have higher levels of cortisol, higher cardiovascular reactivity, and more home strain than those without children at home. Single women raising children on their own are most at risk for health problems, whereas women who are happily married are less likely to show these negative effects. Combining motherhood with employment can be beneficial for women's health and well-being, improving self-esteem, feelings of self-efficacy, and life satisfaction. Being a parent also confers resistance to colds. Studies show that men are more distressed by financial strain and work stress, whereas women are more distressed by adverse changes in the home. For both men and women, the research on multiple roles is converging on the idea that stress is lower when one finds meaning in one's life. The protective effects of employment, marriage, and parenting on psychological distress and the beneficial effects of social support on health attest to the beneficial effects of social roles. When these sources of meaning and pleasure in life are challenged, as through role conflict and role overload, health may suffer.