The Psychology of Gender 4th Edition

Paid Worker Role and Health 445

time with children) were more distressed than

men, whereas women with fewer demands

(women employed part time with children or

women employed full time without children)

had levels of distress similar to men’s. If de-

mands were low, employed women were less

distressed than housewives. Employment also

increased women’s perceptions of control

when it increased their relative income in the

family. Women with higher relative incomes

had a heightened sense of control and, subse-

quently, reduced distress. In total, the health-

iest women in this study were those who had

children and were employed part time. These

women gained some advantage from an in-

crease in relative income that was not offset

by an increase in demands.

Currently, there is debate between the

effects of part-time and full-time paid work

on women’s health. The model is useful for

understanding this issue, as the effects of

social contacts—for both women and men.

Employment also can affect one’s sense of

control (Rosenfield, 1989). To the extent that

employment increases one’s sense of control,

it should be helpful. However, if employment

decreases one’s sense of control, it may be

harmful. Employment may enhance women’s

feelings of control by increasing women’s eco-

nomic resources and thus power within the

family. However, employment may detract

from women’s sense of control by making it

more difficult for women to manage house-

hold responsibilities. Thus paid work has the

potential to increase resources for women in

one area but decrease resources in another.

Each of these resources has implications for

control. This model is shown in Figure 12.3.

This model has been supported by three

different studies (Rosenfield, 1989). In all

three, women who were susceptible to high

family demands (i.e., women employed full

Women

Employment

• High woman income
  
  
  • Low man income
  
  
  
  

DEMANDS

• Work full-time


• Children


• Husband does
  not participate
  in division
  of labor

POWER

Perceived

Control Health

Decrease

Increase

FIGURE 12.3 Model of how employment influences women’s health. To the extent that employ-

ment increases women’s household demands, employment reduces perceptions of control and harms

health. To the extent that employment increases women’s relative income in the family, employment

increases perceptions of control and benefits health.

Source: Adapted from Rosenfield (1989).

M12_HELG0185_04_SE_C12.indd 445 6/21/11 9:16 AM