INTER-ROLE CONFLICT FOR WORKING WOMEN - CAREERS VERSUS JOBS

Compared role conflict experienced by career and noncareer women. Ss were 26 noncareer and 15 career women with bachelors degrees employed full-time at a large state university, all of whom were married and had children. Ss responded anonymously to a questionnaire containing 6 scales that measured the potential conflict between pairs of major life roles. The roles were worker, spouse, parent, and self as a self-actualizing person. Contrary to prediction, greater role conflict was reported by the noncareer group than the career group. Differences between the groups were found in 2 role conflict areas in which the self role was paired with a family role. When the effect of spouse support was controlled for, these differences were no longer found. Implications for working women are discussed. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1979 American Psychological Association.