Role occupancy, quality, and psychological distress among caucasian and African American women

Abstract

This article presents a study that examined the relationship between involvement in multiple roles and psychological distress among 380 Caucasian and African American women aged 18—60, focusing on women’s roles as paid workers, wives, and mothers. The quality of the mother role was significantly associated with psychological distress, while role occupancy and role quantity were not. Furthermore, the African American and white women appeared to be affected similarly by the quality of their experience in the mother role.