MENTAL HEALTH IN WORKING AND NON WORKING WOMEN

Introduction

“I’m intersed in women’s health because iam women.l’d be darn fool

not to be be on my side-MAYA ANGELOU
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-
being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine
how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental
health is important at every stage of life, from adulthood
For ages mental health has been important to mankind. This is more
so in the present century which has highly been termed as the age of
anxiety. The world health organization too has recognized the
importance of the social and mental components of health and have
given due consideration to them, human behavior is even more so.
There are no clear and definite criteria for delineating normal and
abnormal behavior. The consensus of opinion is in terms of the
normal distribution of people.
The concept of health has taken more comprehensive view in Indian
literature. Health is not only a disease free state of the body but it is
a state of perfect coordination between psyche and soma.
Mental health is the foundation for well-being and effective
functioning for an individual and for a community and that of women
is important both for their own health and for the well-being of their
children and families. Women are more likely than men to be
adversely affected by mental disorders, the most common being
anxiety and depressive disorders
Mental health

Advancement in all spheres of life and health awareness in general,

people of today's world are more conscious about their health so as
it is a well recognized fact that the ill-effect of health related
problems on employees well-being is well- recognized by various
organizations such as W.H.O., I.L.O. and other unions, that mental
health seems to be equally important as physical health. An
individual cannot be considered as healthy if he/she is not mentally
healthy. However, more importantly, mental health also affects our
physical and social health because the components of mental health
not only affect emotional states but also our physiological and
biological states as well. If an individual is continuously exposed to
mental stressors then he/she is likely to develop the symptoms of
physical disease states in three ways: the body's ability to fight
infection is reduced, the chances to influence existing disease 54
increase and vulnerability to catch new diseases and illnesses are
likely to
increase. Mental health may be described in terms of an individual's
emotional and psychological well-being. Mental health is a condition
of psychological maturity-a relatively constant and enduring function
of personality. It is a condition of personal and social functioning
with a maximum of effectiveness and satisfaction. Mental health
involves positive feeling and attitude towards the self and towards
others. Some preventive measures have been discussed in the field
of mental health. In the prevention of mental disorders we are
concern with two key tasks: seeking out and eradicating the causes
of mental disorders, and establishing conditions that foster positive
mental health. Preventive measures thus run the gamut from
programs directed towards known and specific causal agents to
programs aimed at more general social behavior.

Working and non working women

Women are an important part of the society, playing multiple roles
even in the adverse circumstances without caring for themselves.
Status of women in the society has changed due to urbanization,
industrialization, increased level of education, awareness of right,
and media influence. Working women are compelled to leave the
security of their home due to economic necessity and have begun to
take up professional roles outside their home. Non-working women
do not work in professions, but do work in their family. Women face
different problem at different age groups, such as carrying out duties
and responsibilities both at home and workplace. Women face
different problem at different age group. Women to bear dual role
responsibility, which stats effecting health status. Thus carrying out
duties and responsibilities both at home and workplace
Indian women have been gradually coming out of traditional roles
and entering into the male dominated areas. In recent years the role
and status of the women have been changed tremendously. With
increasing female education and more liberty for their rights and
privileges, women’s attitude towards their stereotyped role is
changing. Women who work outside the home are required to make
many socio-familial adjustments that may contribute more stress
and anxiety. The problem of stress in women, particularly working
women, is an important aspect on the process of social and
emotional changes.
The working women are required to perform multiple conflicting
roles at a time. Being simultaneously confronted with the multiple
demands of home and outside, women have to face the problems of
role conflicts. At home in addition to biological functions, there are
other duties, which they have to perform because of the prevailing
cultural norms and values .they are required at the same time to
undertake responsibilities, duties and certain commitment
connected with their employment. Difficulty arises because often
divergent and conflicting roles make demands on the women
without taking into consideration their physical capability, energy,
endurance, and time, which are certainly finite.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
The review of related literature is essential and it plays a significant
role in research work. Research always takes the advantage of the
knowledge, which has accumulated in the past as a result of human
endeavor. The following studies provide us with the knowledge of
the general conceptualization and specific challenges which can be
expected in the ongoing research, and also helps the investigator to
understand the problem from different dimensions.
The investigator reviewed as many studies as possible that are
related to the different aspects of the problem under investigation. A
brief account of the relevant studies reviewed by the investigator is
presented below under the following headings

Mental health
1. Kornhauser (1965) reported mental health of workers as "those
behaviors, attitudes, perceptions and feelings that determine a
worker's over all level of personal effectiveness, success, happiness
and excellence of functioning as a person". The importance of
'employees' working experience in the Menninger Foundation
Report (1961) has been given as follows: "we must learn more about
how work experience affects psychological health and what might be
done to ensure that such affect will be strengthening rather than
detrimental to people...the important
discovery of the therapeutic value of work experience suggests that
we should be able to learn of how non-patients gain from their work
added resources for dealing realistically and constructively with
chronic life problems and inevitable life crises, so that in more
instances than at present a flight in to illness might be fore stalled".

2. Gupta, D; Jain, M. and Kumar, (1985) conducted at study to

ascertain variations among mental health of urban and rural women.
The sample consisted of 100 urban women and 100 rural women
matched on the variables of age (range25to 40 yrs.) education and
socio-economic status. Hindi version of MMHSI was administrated to
them. It was found that urban women scored significantly higher on
MMHSI than the rural women, which indicates poor mental health
for urban women,

found that promotional lag was significantly related to psychiatric

illness.

3. Arthu HJ. & Gunderson, E.K. (1965) found that promotional lag
was significantly related to psychiatric illness.

4. Beehr, T.A.; Walsh, J.T., and Taber, T.D. (1976) observed positive
relationship between role stresses, tension and fatigue. Beehr, T.A.
(1976) found that role ambiguity was positively associated with
depressed mood and low self-esteem. 5

5. Thomas, S; Smucker, C and Droppleman, F. (1998): while studying

"It hurts most around the heart: a phenomenological exploration of
women's anger", described that women anger experience has been
poorly understood and insufficiently researched. Yet the emotion of
anger in vitally important to women's physical and mental health,
and to the quality of their relationships. This phenomenological
study was undertakes as an expansion and extension of the
womegdy, the first large survey of the genesis, manifestations and
correlates of anger in American women. Although the earlier study
contributed to understanding of anger, a deeper examination of the
context and measuring of anger experience was sought. Twenty-nine
cancassion women ranging in age from 21 to 66 years were
interviewed. Illustrative occupations ranged from homemaker,
student, and waitress to business executives, professor and human
service professionals. Analysis involved themalizing by the
researchers independently and with in a

multidisciplinary phenomenological research group. The thematic

structure of women's anger involved a building over time of a
confusing mixture of feelings (hurt, frustration, and disillusionment)
precipitant of anger was unfair and/ or disrespectful treatment or
lack of reciprocity in relationships. When the anger was confined
with in self, the women felt helpless and powerless. However,
powerlessness was also evident when anger was externalized in an
outburst. To the study participants, an angry outburst meant a loss
of control rather than ability to achieve control. Women reported a
sense of power when using anger to restore justice, respect and
relationship reciprocity.

6. French, J.R.P., and Caplan, R.D. (1973) found role ambiguity to be

significantly associated with feeling of job related threat to person's
mental and physical well being. Caplan, R.D. and Jones, K.W. (1975)
found role ambiguity to be positively related to anxiety, depression
and resentment.
7.AR. and Aldag, R.J. (1976)reported that role stresses were
positively related to tension, threat and anxiety.

8. (Manohar, 1983.p.82). Consequently, the women's participation

in the organized sector and white collar job in not considerable.
Women are for behind to their male counterparts in the field of
higher education. Among the organized sector service sector, to
some extent offers wide scope for women's employment. Beside the
profession of teaching, medicine and nursing, scientific and clerical
work, women have room for jobs in communication, sales and
secretarial functionaries. Most of the educated working women are
drawn from middle and richer section of the society and a very few
women from the lower classes get a chance in this jobs". Limitation
of marriage and family life, norms of the social status, notion of
social responsibility, place of work; support from family and relatives,
nature of work, service condition of the employment etc., act as
detrimental women's position in the white collard world (Manohar,
1983, p.13)

9. Evaluating the major models of the healthy personality, Schultz

(1977) has drawn the following conclusion: there is no single
prescription for or description of psychological health on which all
psychologists or personality theorists would agree. Perhaps the only
point on which most of the theorists are agreeable is that
psychologically healthy persons are in conscious control of their lives.
In one form or other theorists also seem to

agree that psychologically healthy person know who and what they
are. Another generally agreed upon characteristics of psychological
health is a firm anchoring in the present. These similarities are not
unanimous, some theorists have not made them selves clear on all
these points
Reviewing various thoughts about mental health it seems necessary
to throw light upon mental health in context of occupational
organizations. Early theories of organization behaviour laid strong
emphasis on the "economic" contract between workers and
employers. The psychological or human aspects of working life were
not their concern. But the Hawthorne studies recognized the
importance of human interaction as a critical part of work situation.
After the revolutionary Hawthorne studies "worker" and the
psychosocial aspects as work became the point of central importance
in the organization. This historical incidence encouraged the
psychologists for initiative researches concerning personal
development and psychological well beings of the workers.

10. Buck, V.E. (1972) found that those workers who felt that their
loss was low on consideration reported feelings of more job pressure
resulting in poor mental health. Hall and Gordon (1973) in a study of
working women found role conflict was negatively related to
psychosomatic complaints. Rod and Herbert (1983) found role
overload to have a replicable positive relationship with mental health
problem.

Employment in organized sector require certain minimum

academic/vocational qualifications and in such case logical trend
would be "the lower the level of educational

Rationale of the study

women have started taking up the jobs outside their homes. Women
are existing under cultural norms and values so the working women
have to make an adjustment with the family members are expected
to make such adjustments. So this affect mental health working
women. WHO defines health as a state of ‘complete physical, mental
and social well-being, and merely the absence of disease or
infirmity’. Mental health has been reported as an important factor
influencing an individual’s various behaviours, activities, happiness
and performance. Mental pressure is a vital cause of the mental
health problems which arise due to various conditions. If the mental
condition is good, a women can take various responsibilities of a
family and herself, understand the complications, try to solve them,
plan for future and adjustment with others by becoming mentally
strong. Mental health can be defined as the ability to make adequate
social and emotional adjustments to the environment, on the plane
of reality. In other words it is the ability to face and accept the
realities of life

Therefor Women face different problem at different age group.

Women to bear dual role responsibility, which stats effecting health
status. Thus carrying out duties and responsibilities both at home
and workplace overs trains a working women thereby leading to
various psychological problem and health problem like role conflict,
job strain, mental fatigue, stress, anxiety, anger, frustration,
depression and other social and emotional distress. All of these
problem can interactively affect the mental health

. It has been acknowledged this studies on issues pertaining to

women have not received sufficient attention, and that such
research are required. There have been attempts to investigate the
psychological aspects of women's growth, and it is frequently said
that economic independence is required to elevate women to a
status equivalent to that of males. Women are consequently given a
variety of roles in society. Women who work are becoming more
prevalent. It has been observed that working women experience
additional mental health issues as they learn to balance the demands
of their jobs and families. current researcher find out the mean
difference between working and non-working women in mental
health . It revealed that the mental health of working and non-
working women is affected by many internal and external factors.
The selected demographic variables have impact on mental health
status. The current investigator believe that there is conduct a study
on working women and non working women mental health.
Working women have poorer mental health compared to non-
working women. Studying the mental health issues that affect both
working and non-working women is therefore important. The
research will enlighten us.there is very less number conducted in the
area of mental health among working women and. Non working. In
Calicut district. In the pressent investigator under a take a this topic
for conducting project

Reasearch methodology

Every study is distinguished on the basis of its different

purposes and approaches. Therefore, so many methods have been
adopted. For the present study, a Descriptive Method cum survey
will be used. Because it is considered one of the best methods in
psychology to conduct research on a subject like the present study, it
describes the current status of the research work. It involves
interpretation, comparison, measurement, classification, evaluation,
and generalization all directed towards an understanding and
solution of significant psychological problems.

It is true to highlight that every research has it is own limitation,

many in the area of social science. It might be because researchers
could not possibly comprise the whole perspective of a particular
area in one fine study. As research is perceived to be a learning
process, by which the researcher tries to prove many conceptual and
methodological issues but sometimes one issue becomes clear. The
present study is conducted by using the descriptive

cum survey method. Some part of the study has been conducted by
using descriptive data such as expert diagnosis, documental evidence
from psychologists and authorized persons, and the other part of the
study utilized survey techniques.

RESEARCH PROBLEM
The study aims to understand and analyze the metal health Among
working women and. Non working women in Calicut. Hence, the
present study has been entitled “ MENTAL HEALTH IN WORKING
AND NON WORKING WOMEN .

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The following objectives are formulated for the proposed study.

(1) To assess the status of mental health in working and non-working

women.

(2) To assess the differences in various dimensions of mental health

in working and non-working women.
(3)-To analyze the status of mental health in working and non-
working women in terms of some demographic variables like age,
education and socio-economic status of working and non-working
women.
Hypothesis

1.

2.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION

The terms used in the title are operationally and conceptually

defined and it is given below.

Mental health :.

mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-

being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine
how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. .
Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and
adolescence through adulthood.

Working women
A woman who works in exchange for payment, especially one who
does manual labour.

Non working women

Non working women means not employed for a salary, fees, or
wages; not producing or generating income

SAMPLES

The present study "Mental health problem in working and non-

working women" has been done with a view to find out the mental
health problems or situations as well as some personality factors like
neuroticism, psychoticism, and extraversion in working and non-
working women. For the purpose of the study the sample consists of
50working and 50 non-working women in the age range of 25 years
to 55 years from the different localities of calicut City

Working women : Calicut girls higher secondary school

Non working women : family and neighbors

 RESEARCH DESIGN

The present research is undertaken by using a Normative and

descriptive survey research design. This means data were collected
from the sample randomly selected from the population. By
analyzing and interpreting the collected data the investigator has to
reach proper findings and generalize the findings to the population.

In the present study, the investigator by using the proper tool to

collect data regarding the variable used in the study that is mental
health is the dependent variable working women and non working
women dependent variable in population of the present study.
Gender is the sole demographic variable used in the study

TOOLS FOR DATA COLLECTION

1. General Information sheet

A general information sheet constructed by the investigator is

utilized to collect data regarding the personal details related to the
patient such as age, gender, marital status, education, occupation,
Income and residence.
2. The Mental Health Inventory - 38 (MHI 38)

by Veil& -Ware
The Mental Health Inventory - 38 (MHI-38) by Veil& Ware (1993) is a
consumer self report tool designed to measure general psychological
distress and well-being (Veil & Ware, 1983), a study designed to
estimate the effects of different health care financing arrangements
on the demand for services as well as on the health status of the
patients in the study. The RAND research group developed the MHI
alongside another measure (SF-36) used widely in

population general health surveys. A number of questions were

taken directly from the MHI to make up the mental health subscale
of the SF-36. These five items have also been used as a free-standing
scale in their own right, known as the MHI-5. Reflecting its roots in
measurement in the general population, the measure includes
positive aspects of well-being (such as cheerfulness, interest in and
enjoyment of life) as well as negative aspects of mental health (e.g.
anxiety and depression). The MHI can be completed either as a self-
report measure or as part of an interview. Copyright for the Mental
Health Inventory - 38 (MHI-38)

Scoring

STATISTICALTECHNIQUES FOR DATA ANALYSIS

The data collected in this study will be analyzed using the following
statistical techniques. Various statistical tools and techniques will be
used according to the requirement

of the study, Correlation, t-test, and multiple regressions will be

used to study the variables in the present study.

I. Descriptive Statistics

Descriptive statistics like mean, median, standard deviation are used

to find the nature and characteristics of the distribution of variable
among the sample.
Mean - The mean, or M, is the most commonly used method for
finding the average. To find the mean, simply add up all response
values and divide the sum by the total number of responses. The
total number of responses or observations is called N.

Median - The median is the value separating the higher half of a data
sample, a population, or a probability distribution, from the lower
half. In simple terms, it may be thought of as the "middle" value of a
data set. For example, in the data set {1, 3, 3, 6, 7, 8,9}, the median is
6, the fourth number in the sample. The median is a commonly

used measure of the properties of a data set in statistics and

probability theory.
 Standard deviation - The standard deviation (s) is the average
amount of variability in your dataset. It tells, on average, how far
each score lies from the mean. The larger the standard deviation, the
more variable the data set is. There are six steps for finding the
standard deviation as follow.

1) List each score and find their mean.

2) Subtract the mean from each score to get the deviation from the
mean.

3) Square each of these deviations.

4) Add up all of the squared deviations.

5) Divide the sum of the squared deviations by N – 1.

6) Find the square root of the number you found.

II. Inferential statistics

Inferential statistics like t value ANOVA are used to find out the
significant difference among sub group of sample.

III. Correlational method

The Pearson product moment correlation is used to find out how
independent variable is related to dependent variable.

IV. Product moment correlation

A correlation is used to describe the direction

scale data, where “Pearson” is in honor of Karl Pearson.

between two variables. There are many types of correlations,

some are based on ranks,

but the one most commonly used is the product-moment

correlation (r). The Pearson

product-moment correlation is used to describe association between

continuous, ratio-

magnitude of linear association and the

Reference

#Allport, (G.W. 1958): - Personality; Normal and abnormal.

Sociological review, 6, 167-180.
#Altekar, A.S. (1958)- The position of women in Hindu
Civilization. Motilal Banarsidas Publishers, Banaras, India.

#Astangha Haridaya Sutra, 1:7

#Arthur, H.J. and Gunderson, E.K. (1965):- Promotion and mental

health illness in the Navy. Journal of Occupational Medcine. 7, 452-
456.

# Araki, Y; Muto, T. and Asakura, T. (1999):- Psychosomatic

symptoms of Japanese working women and their need for stress
management. Ind. Health, April, 37(2): 253-62.

#Buchler, C.B. (1961):- Theoretical observation about life's basic

tendencies. (Amer. Jr. Psychother), 13(3).

#Bhatia, B.D (1982): Mental hygine in education. In B. Kuppuswami

(Ed.) Advanced Educational Psychology, Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

#Buck, V.E. (1972):- Working under pressure; Stable Press,London.

# Brief, S. and Aldag. R.J. (1976):- Correlate of the role indices.

Journal of Applied Psychology, 61, 468-472.

#Beeher, T.A.; Walsh, J.T. and Taber, T.D. (1976)- Relationship of

stress to individually and organizationally valued status: Hinger order
needs as a moderator. Journal of Applied Psychology. 61(1), 41-47.
# Beeher, T.A. (1976):- Percieved situational moderators of the
relationship between subjective role ambiguity. Academy of
Management Journal. 61(1), 35-40.

#Chaudhary R.H. (1976):- Women in different occupation in Dacca

# Campbell, J; Kub, J.E. and Rose, L. (1996):- Depression in battered

women'. J.A.M. Med. Assoc. (1996), May-July, 51(3):106-10.

# Caraka Vimana, 1:5

#Covil, W. I. Costellow, T.w. & Rouke. F.I. (1963); Abnormal

Psychology.

#Coleman, J.S. (1961):- The Adolescent Society. New York:- The Free
Press of Glencoe.

# Caplan, R.D. And Jones, K.W. (1975):- Effect of work load, role
ambiguity and type A Personality, depression, heart rate. Journal of
Applied Psychology, 60, 713-719.

#Crown, S. and Crisp, A.N. (1966):- A short clinical diagonistic

self-rating scale for psychoneurotics- The M.H.Q., British J.
Psychiat., 112, 917.
#Carr, D. (1997):- "The fulfilement of carrier dreams of midlifer:
does is matter women's mental health?"

# Cattell, R.B. and Scheier, I.H. The meaning and Measurement

of Neuroticism and Anxiety. New York:, 1961.

#Dubey, S.C. (1963):- "Men's and Women's Role in India". In Women

in the New Asia, (ed.) Barbara E. Ward (Paris: UNESCO).

#Dasgupta, S.N.: A History of Indian Philosophy. Vol. I, p.412.

# Definition given by W.W. Boehm is referred in the "Clinical

Psychology" Ed.-Ram Nayan Singh, page 302.

# Douvan, Elizabeth & Adelson, Jos. (1966): The Adolescent

Experience. New York Jhon Wiley & Sons. Inc..

#Dutton, Ronald P. (1965): The commitment of women to

educational careers. Ph.D. Thesis, Faculty of Graduate School of
Education, Horward University.

# Ellman, M. (1968):- Thinking about women. New York:

Harcourt,Brace & World.
#Engle, G.L. (1962): - Psychological development in health and
disease. Philadelphia; Saunders.

#Eyesenk, H.J. (1960) (b): - classification and the problem of

diagnosis. In H.J. Eyesenk (Ed.), Hand Book of abnormal
psychology. London: Sir Issac Pitman.

#Eysenck, H.J. Dimensions of Personality. London Rotledge and

Kegan Paul, 1947.

#Glasser, W. (1961). Mental Health or Mental Illness? Psychiatry for

Practical Action, 1962, ISBN 0-06-091092-05
#Iwata, N. and Suzuki, K. (1997), Role stress-mental health relations
in Japanese bank workers. A moderating effect of social support.
Applie