Back to Search Start Over

Motherhood, multiple roles, and maternal well-being: women of the 1950s

Authors :
Miller, Melody L.
Moen, Phyllis
Dempster-McClain, Donna
Source :
Gender & Society. Dec, 1991, Vol. 5 Issue 4, p565, 18 p.
Publication Year :
1991

Abstract

Women in the 1950s were encouraged to remain within the home with motherhood and marriage as their primary involvements without consideration of the emotional impact of such limited activities. An analysis of 358 upstate New York married mothers with children under 13 from a 1956 archive reveals that social roles outside the home and employment change women's life satisfaction. Social roles such as religious member, club member, relative, neighbor and friend tended to increase self-esteem and life satisfaction while employment was related to maternal discontent and inadequacy feelings.

Details

ISSN :
08912432
Volume :
5
Issue :
4
Database :
Gale General OneFile
Journal :
Gender & Society
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsgcl.12621950