This exploratory research examines whether gender and ethnic differences exist in family-and work-related variables that best predict perceived stress. The Anglo male (N = 115) and female (N = 199) and Mexican-American male (N = 35)
224Journal of Family and Economic Issues and female (N = 85) respondents each had the roles of employee, spouse, and parent. Data were collected by mail questionnaire from state-classified employees at the three land-grant universities in Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming as part of Cooperative Regional Research Project W-167. Regression analysis indicates that role overload is a significant predictor of stress for Anglo males and females and Mexican-American females, thus providing some support for the role strain theory, which suggests that increasing the number of roles drains personal resources and may increase stress. Satisfaction with family roles enters regression equations as significant predictors for two sample groups. Other variables enter only one of the four regression equations; thus ethnicity and gender differences are found in the variables predicting perceived stress and should be considered in future research in this area.
This study evaluated a conceptual model that specified relationships between work and family demands, work‐family conflict, stress, and the quality offamily life. Usinga sample of 328female and 187 male working parents, path analysis indicated that the intersect of structural and psychological characteristics of work andfamily was related to work‐family conflict, influenced stress, and eventually predicted the quality offamily life. Also, as expected, the linkages between work andfamily variedfor mothers and fathers.
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