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Depression in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may be related to social role experiences, physical health, and age. The purpose of this study was to examine the social and health factors contributing to depression in two age groups of women with RA. One-hundred and thirty-eight midlife and late-life women with a diagnosis of RA participated in this cross sectional survey study. Multiple regression analysis indicated that social role balance, functional status, number of co-existing health problems, and age were significant predictors of depression in midlife and late-life women with RA. Role balance was the strongest factor contributing to a woman's depression score. Compared to midlife women, late-life women reported significantly higher role balance and lower depression scores, despite poorer functional status and more concomitant health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theories and studies about the psychological processes of midlife propose a transition that may result in a more integrated personality structure throughout the second half of life. This more integrated structure includes concepts such as generativity, self-assertion, and independence. However, this structure, especially in early middle-age, can be affected by a life-threatening health disruption such as heart disease. One hundred and fifty-five women participated in a cross-sectional survey designed to investigate depression in early middle age, midlife, and elderly women who had undergone heart surgery. Women aged 40-55 years composed the early middle-age group, women aged 56-65 years composed the midlife age group, and women aged 66+ years were identified as the elderly age group. Affective components of depression were measured by asking participants to respond to three items regarding frequency of sadness, depression, and 'the blues.' Affective depression scores were summed and a mean score derived. Mean scores significantly differed by age group (F [2, 152] = 3.05, p =.05). Older women in the study fared better than their younger counterparts in terms of depression scores after a major cardiac health disruption. Post hoc comparisons indicated that mean scores for the early middle-age participants were significantly higher than for the midlife and older participants. Depression in the context of a cardiac health disruption appears to be linked to the developmental stage of a woman's life trajectory on which it is superimposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary purpose of this research was to provide an initial test of the effects of a six-session stress reduction psychoeducational intervention to enhance psychological well-being and reduce role conflict among two groups of African American working women. A one-group pretest-posttest design was utilized. A multimethod approach, combining both qualitative and quantitative methods, was used. Quantative methods and analyses were used to enhance the accuracy, richness, and completeness of quantitative data. Results showed that there were significant differences among the pre-, post-, and follow-up measurements with life satisfaction and role conflict. The intervention had an effect in the predicted direction for life satisfaction and role conflict for Times 1 and 2 and for Times 1 and 3. There was a significant interaction effect for role conflict and life satisfaction between Times 1 and 2. As role conflict scores decreased, life satisfaction scores increased. The intervention helped participants verbalize strategies for reducing role conflict such as establishing priorities, partitioning and separating roles, overlooking role demands, and changing attitudes toward roles in order to maximize satisfaction in a specific role. Many mental health providers are positioned to participate in the development of the needed knowledge to support an expanded perspective of women's roles and work. Mental health care includes supporting the empowerment of women to make choices and take action on behalf of themselves and their families. These preliminary findings suggest that mental health providers can both empower African American women to choose actions benefitting self and family and successfully promote knowledge necessary for more accurate and comprehensive perspectives on the roles and work of African American women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between locus of control and sex role orientation among nurses. Ninety-eight participants, working female registered nurses between the ages of 30 and 59, were placed into one of four sex type groups using scores on the Personal Attributes Questionnaire. The groups were then compared to each other using Rotter's Locus of Control Scale. Previous research findings had indicated that women in a traditional female occupation would be sex typed in role orientation and externally locused. The subjects in this study exhibited variability in locus of control and sex role orientation. Locus of control orientation was not related to sex role orientation. The implications of the results were discussed and directions for future research were considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this preliminary study, sex role orientation, role conflict, depression, self-esteem, and life satisfaction were measured in working women. The convenience sample consisted of 106 working women, mostly white, ranging in age from 22 to 62 years. Analyses of the data revealed that participants who were undifferentiated in sex role orientation had significantly higher depression scores, lower self-esteem scores, and lower life satisfaction scores than the androgynous and cross-typed groups. There were no significant differences among the sex role orientation types on role conflict scores. Intriguing comparisons among depression, self-esteem, life satisfaction, and sex role orientation were found. Further research is needed to understand the role of gender in psychological problems, the symptoms associated with them, and how women respond to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was designed to investigate the relationship between sex role orientation and age in women working in a traditional occupation. It was hypothesized that older working female nurses would be more androgynous in sex role orientation than their younger counterparts. Ninety-eight female registered nurses ranging in age from 30 to 59 completed the Personal Attributes Questionnaire and sociodemographic data. Contrary to prediction, age had no significant effect on sex role orientation. It was concluded that (a) no change in masculinity/femininity self-descriptions occur over time, (b) only some women change, and (c) changes may proceed in different directions in response to shifts in role responsibilities or other situational events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study the author investigated the relationship of depression to sex role orientation in women employed in a traditional female occupation. The specific purpose of the study was to assess whether women employed in nursing would be more likely to be expressive (feminine/sex typed) in their sex role orientation and to evaluate the degree of depression among women with high levels of expressive (feminine/sex-typed) characteristics. Results supported the hypothesis that nurses who subscribed to a traditional feminine role (feminine sex typing) had a greater vulnerability to depression. However, their rate of depression was significantly less than that found among women in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our purpose was to determine levels of role commitment, role conflict, depression, self-esteem, and life satisfaction among a community-based sample of working Filipino women. The convenience sample consisted of 87 Filipino working women, ranging in age from 18 to 59 years. Participants completed instruments assessing self-esteem, depression, life satisfaction, and role conflict. Our analyses revealed that participants who were equally or more committed to work than relationships had significantly higher depression scores, self-esteem scores, and levels of education than participants who were committed primarily to relationships. There were no significant differences among role commitment type on role conflict and life satisfaction. We found significant interactions between experiences of depression, self-esteem, and the perceptions of self. From our study findings our knowledge of working Filipina American's psychological well-being has increased and provided a foundation for future research.

Stress-reduction psychoeducation as a lifestyle modification intervention highlights multiple sources of stress. This article focuses on stress-reduction psychoeducation for Black women and supports the development of culture- and gender-appropriate community interventions as viable methods for stress reduction. The intervention helped participants verbalize strategies for reducing role conflict such as establishing priorities, partitioning and separating roles, overlooking role demands, and changing attitudes toward roles in order to maximize satisfaction in a specific role. Nurses who provide care for Black women in acute care settings, mental health settings, clinics, and occupational settings are in key positions to identify psychological symptomatology related to negative mental health responses associated with multiple role occupancy for at-risk groups of Black working women. Psychoeducational support groups may be a viable alternative to facilitate the problem solving and the support once afforded by informal support networks.

Anxiety and role experiences in women may be related to age, developmental changes, social roles, and life circumstances such as cardiac disease. One hundred fifty-five women participated in a cross sectional survey on anxiety and role experiences in early middle-age, midlife, and elderly women after heart surgery. MANOVA analysis revealed significant differences for anxiety and role experiences by age. Compared with older women, early middle-age women had lower balance between role rewards and concerns and a poorer match between ideal and actual role function, which may be a contributing factor for their increased anxiety., (Copyright 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company)

Presented are the results of a secondary analysis of group data from a study of a six-week role conflict reduction intervention among a group of urban American Indian women (n = 8). The specific aim of this researcher was to understand the process of balancing multiple roles as expressed in the participants' daily lived experiences as mothers, wives, and workers. A construction of the process of balancing multiple roles was accomplished through the use of narratives. Balancing multiple roles represented a major current attempt on the part of the participants to integrate and balance traditional and contemporary feminine strengths in a positive, culturally consistent manner. The study themes included: traditional sex role expectation conflicts, family guilt, guilt management, transitioning inner conflict and stress, breaking the silence-learning to say no, and healing the spirit to reclaim the self. Further support for retraditionalization of roles for this group of Indian women was maintained as an effective means of balancing roles and achieving Indian self-determination.

The purpose of this qualitative study of a 6-week effectiveness trial was to describe among a group of urban American Indian women, the process of successful traditionalism in the form of bicultural resynthesis. Bicultural resynthesis represents a major current attempt on the part of the participants to integrate traditional and contemporary demands in a positive, culturally-consistent manner. The themes of shame and isolation, adapting to survive, deculturation, ethnic switching/renewal, and bicultural resynthesis are discussed. Further support is achieved for retraditionalization of American Indian women s roles as an effective means of achieving American Indian self-determination and as a potential way of helping women overcome problems.

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which role conflict, life satisfaction, self-esteem, instrumentality, expressiveness, age and education predicts ambulatory depression among a community based sample of urban American Indian working women. The convenience sample consisted of a total of 148 Midwestern American Indian working women, ranging in age from 18 to 65 years. Participants completed five instruments assessing gender-related traits of instrumentality and expressiveness, self-esteem, depression, life satisfaction, role conflict, and socio-demographic information. A forced entry stepwise multiple regression was conducted which included all the designated predictor variables. The significant negative Beta in Step 1 indicated that women scoring on the Masculinity (instrumentality) sub-scale were less likely to have a high depression score. The prediction of depression by the Masculinity sub-scale was no longer significant after the life satisfaction and self-esteem variables were added to the equation in Step 2. There was a significant inverse relationship for life satisfaction and self-esteem in predicting the criterion variable, depression. Thirty-two percent of the variance in the prediction of the dependent variable (depression scores) was accounted for by the six variables. In counselling urban American Indian women, supporting instrumentality, enhancing self-esteem and life satisfaction, can positively impact on ambulatory dysphoria.

Many researchers naively assume that the methods and research approaches that are useful with European-Americans can also be used with minority populations. Little attention has been paid to the development of culturally appropriate research procedures and a discussion of the limitations of traditional research methodologies. In this article I include the experiences and suggestions for successfully conducting research with minority populations.

The purpose of this study is to explore and describe the experiences of African American working women who attended a six week intervention group to decrease role conflict and enhance psychological well-being. The sample consisted of nine African American working women ranging in age from 29 to 55. Participants reported role conflict with their professional roles, which was further confounded by race. Areas of role conflict included: (a) scrutinization, (b) de-legitimization of the professional role, and (c) horizontal abuse. It was concluded that African American working women experienced an additional element of role conflict that is related to their ascribed role rather than their achieved role.

An experiential activity was conducted as part of a nursing course at a university in the Midwest to determine whether simulating a physical disability by using a wheelchair could be a valuable educational strategy. The goal was to increase nursing students' awareness of disability, sensitivity to people with disabilities, and understanding of the importance of self-efficacy, as well as to enhance their learning about the research process, which was one of the course objectives. While the results of this activity were not statistically significant, the content analysis of the qualitative data showed an effect on the experimental group. This analysis suggested that the enactment was a beneficial learning experience that increased nursing students' depth of understanding about what life is like for a disabled person in a wheelchair.

The author's purpose in conducting this study was to identify the relationship of sex role orientation to indices of psychological well-being among 148 American Indian working women from the Midwest. Analyses revealed that the sex-typed group had significantly higher depression scores, higher role conflict scores, lower self-esteem scores and lower life satisfaction scores when compared with the cross-typed and androgynous groups. The undifferentiated group had significantly lower self-esteem scores when compared with the androgynous group. Further research is needed to understand how different sex role orientations support different roles that American Indian women occupy.

In this preliminary study, sex role orientation, role conflict, depression, self-esteem, and life satisfaction were measured in working women. The convenience sample consisted of 106 working women, mostly white, ranging in age from 22 to 62 years. Analyses of the data revealed that participants who were undifferentiated in sex role orientation had significantly higher depression scores, lower self-esteem scores, and lower life satisfaction scores than the androgynous and cross-typed groups. There were no significant differences among the sex role orientation types on role conflict scores. Intriguing comparisons among depression, self-esteem, life satisfaction, and sex role orientation were found. Further research is needed to understand the role of gender in psychological problems, the symptoms associated with them, and how women respond to them.