Stress and the multiple-role woman: taking a closer look at the "superwoman".

Monika K Sumra,Michael A Schillaci

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0120952

Monika K Sumra, Michael A Schillaci

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0120952

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Journal: PloS one	Publication Date: Mar 27, 2015
Citations: 46	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: The Scarborough Hospital, University of Toronto

Abstract

In the academic literature there is debate as to whether women who engage in multiple social roles experience more or less stress than women in fewer roles. For the present research we examined the relationship between levels of engagement in seven distinct roles and perceived stress and life satisfaction in a small non-random sample of women in North America (N = 308). We did not find a significant correlation between role engagement and perceived stress, though we did find a small but significant positive correlation between role engagement and life satisfaction. Similarly, in a subset of the participants (N = 31), there was not a significant relationship between the level of role engagement and physiological stress as measured by hair or urinary cortisol levels. We found a significant negative correlation between perceived stress and life satisfaction, and role satisfaction. The results from multiple regression models did not identify the level of role engagement as a significant predictor of either perceived stress or life satisfaction. Role satisfaction in addition to several life style variables such as the frequency of sex and exercise were identified as significant predictors of both outcome variables. We also examined the popularized notion of the “superwoman”, which we defined as women who fell within the 4th quartile of role engagement, or those engaged in the wife/mother/worker/homemaker role combination. Based on popular discourses surrounding the superwoman we expected that superwomen would exhibit higher levels of perceived stress. Our results revealed that superwomen do not experience a significantly higher level of perceived stress than non-superwomen. The results of our study therefore suggest that multiple role engagement in women, even at a relatively high level as experienced by “superwomen”, is not associated with significantly higher stress, or reduced life satisfaction.

Highlights

As women continue to balance working outside the home with their domestic responsibilities, the idea of engaging in multiple roles simultaneously, or “doing it all”, has become a valued social norm [1,2]
As this study examined urinary cortisol secretion among women, it was necessary to account for the reproductive cycle, which is associated with HPAA functioning [13]
Suggests that individuals who engage in more roles are more likely to gain self-confidence and greater social integration leading to greater control and lower stress [114]

Summary

Introduction

As women continue to balance working outside the home with their domestic responsibilities, the idea of engaging in multiple roles simultaneously, or “doing it all”, has become a valued social norm [1,2] In both popular and academic discourses on the “multiple-role woman”, stress is often considered an inevitable outcome. There is evidence that indicates women who perform multiple concurrent roles often put the needs of others (i.e. spouse, family members, and employer) before their own [7, 8] This may contribute to women ignoring potential contributors to CHD such as increased stress or even result in delayed treatment [9]

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Conclusion