Alienation in Rural Women: A Longitudinal Cross‐Lagged Analysis of its Association with Community and Family Involvement, Socioeconomic Status, and Education

Abstract

Rural women's alienation was studied longitudinally to determine its interrelationship with community activities, family involvement, income, and maternal education. Fifty‐eight rural women were interviewed when their children were three, six, or nine years old and again two years later. Significant longitudinal cross‐lagged panel correla tions were obtained between gross socioeconomic status (SES), maternal education, and community involvement with anomie two years later. Maternal alienation appears to be primarily affected by gross SES, community involvement and maternal education. Ma ternal alienation appears to affect future net income. The validity of anomia as a social psychological measure of rural women and its implications for applied programs are dis cussed.