Report Navjot Kaur

PROJECT REPORT

“STRESS AND ANXIETY AMONGST WORKING AND NON WORKING WOMEN”

MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY (MAPC)

BY NAVJOT KAUR 170590102

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY MAIDAN GARHI, NEW DELHI- 110068

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I feel indebted to my guide Dr.Kuldeep Kumar for the completion of the dissertation entitled “STRESS AND ANXIETY AMONGST WORKING AND NON WORKING WOMEN” The present work could be completed only because of the able guidance and affectionate attitude of my guide Dr.Kuldeep Kumar (Asso.Prof.) I am thankful to all respondents and all those who assisted me by supplying the requisite information towards the completion of the questionnaire there by enable me to collect the relevant data.

NAVJOT KAUR 170590102

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CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY This is to certify that the Project Report titled “STRESS AND ANXIETY AMONGST WORKING AND NON WORKING WOMEN” submitted to Indira Gandhi National Open University in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of Master of Arts Degree in Psychology (MAPC) is an original work carried out by NAVJOT KAUR (Enrolment Number: 170590102). The matter embodied in this Project is a genuine work done by the student and has not been submitted whether to this University or to any other University/ Institute for the fulfillment of the requirement of any course of study. Signature of the Learner

Signature of the Supervisor

Name: NAVJOT KAUR

Name:

Enrolment Number: 170590102

Designation:

Date:

Date:

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CERTIFICATE This is to certify that Miss. NAVJOT KAUR student of M.A. (Psychology) from Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi was working under my supervision and guidance for her Dissertation for the course MPCE. Her Dissertation entitled “STRESS AND ANXIETY AMONGST WORKING AND NON WORKING WOMEN” which she is submitting, is her genuine and original work. Signature:

Name:

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CHAPTER NO.

TITLES

I

INTRODUCTION

II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

IV

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS

V

CONCLUSIONS & SUGGESTIONS

PAGE NO.

BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDIX — QUESTIONNAIRES

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CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

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INTRODUCTION Stress is derived from Latin word “Stringer” (to draw tight) and was popularly used in seventeenth century to mean ‘hardship’ straits, adversity. In physical science the term stress refers to the internal force generated within a solid body by the action of any external force. In ancient Greece, Hippocrates-the “father of medicine” clearly recognised the existence of healing power of nature, made up of inherent body mechanism for restoring health after exposure to pathogens. The nineteenth century French physiologist Bernard enormously advanced the subject of pointing out that the internal environment of a living organism must remain fairly despite changes in the external environment. The term stress has been derived from technical sciences where it indicates an excessive and detrimental overloading of subjects. Metals like steel have a certain strain capacity, but on exceeding certain values, a feature occurs. The term was used in this sense in the nineteenth century. In the beginning of the twentieth century, the concept appeared in the medical science to indicate overloading of the human body. Cannon (1935) related it to homeostatic tendencies in the body. It contributed much to the development of psychosomatic and socio-biological medicine; a lot of knowledge was accumulated about the relation between stress and the development of somatic disorders like cardiovascular diseases. Selye (1956) believed that if sympathetic nervous system and endocrine system are activated in a certain way, for example, extreme coldness or great excitement an individual can be said to be under stress. Extreme stimulations of a divergent nature bring about a certain typical endocrine 2|Page

reaction pattern. Specific stimulation are not connected with specific reactions; stress can be induced by many different means. Actually Selye was not particularly interested in the causes (stimuli); more important to him was the universal reaction pattern occurring in characteristic phases. Anxiety occupies a focal position in the dynamics of human behavior it is a common reaction to frustration. Since anxiety is highly distressing, indeed one of the most intolerable psychic states with which the human organism has to deal, it demands some sort of adjustment which will afford relief. A large part of human adjustment is concerned with avoiding or relieving anxiety. Growing out of many frustrating situations, anxiety serves as the driving force for a large number of subsequent adjustments. In behavioral terms Sarason (1980) defined anxiety as a conditioned response to a perceived threatening stimulus which could be learned or inherited. Benjamin (1987) noted that anxiety can interface with attention, learning and testing. The idea that anxiety may interface with a student's ability to demonstrate what they have learned is not new. Anxiety can also interface with learning in that anxious students are more easily distracted by irrelevant or incidental aspects of the task at hand, having trouble in focusing on significant details. Anxiety may be defined as mental distress with respect to some anticipated frustration. It this sense, it is to be distinguished from the immediate response to frustration itself, which is reacted to with aggression, or the danger whish is reacted to with fear. Whatever the frustration is, it is recognized as dangerous because it will result in either pain or loss. The essence of human

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learning is that the individual shall acquire the capacity for recognizing by certain signs or cause, situations which promise to satisfy his need or cause him harm so that he can anticipate them on some future occasion and thereby make ready to accept and use those that satisfy and avoid those which promise to frustrate. The Role of women in the society is constantly questioned and for centuries women have struggled to find their place in a world that is predominantly male oriented. Literature provides a porthole into the lives, thoughts and actions of women during certain periods of time in a fictitious form, yet often truthful in many ways. Woman has a great part to play in the progress of our country, as the mental and physical contact of women with life is much more lasting and comprehensive than that of men (Bernard,J., 1971). In the apron string of women is hidden the revolutionary energy, which can establish paradise on this earth. Woman is the magnificent creation of god, a multi faceted personality with the power of benevolence, adjustability, integrity and tolerance(Ghadially, Rehana(ed), 1998). She is companion of man, gifted with equal mental faculty, a protector and provider, the embodiment of love and affection. The role specified to women in a society is a measuring bar and it is a true index of its civilization and cultural attainment. First of all it is clear that a woman’s place, just like a man’s is in the home. Women have started to reach the highest places and to occupy the scariest and most exciting positions of power within society. At the same time, they have continued to stay home and have children. It is really a matter of individual choice. Women’s place should not be in the home because they have much more to offer society. Women got the reputation of being housebound creatures through no fault of their own: they were repressed on every level. They were forced to wear certain dress codes, their education was severely curtailed and

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they were simply traded off in strategic marriages of convenience. Woman now believes a successful career is the key to financial and social life. Obviously the lives women live today are much different than they were before. Today, there are several roles women may choose to fulfill/carry out( Hoffman,L.W., 1986). A woman who earns salary, wages, or other income through employment, outside the home, is termed as a working woman. With globalization and improvement in education, the literacy rate among women is increasing; this has resulted in more women taking up employment. In India, with women increasingly taking on jobs, the concept of the man being 'head of the family' is now changing. Working within and outside the home are the two phases of a woman's life. Balancing work and family life has become a major issue for women. Dealing with family issues as well as work issues has resulted in women dealing with an increasing amount of stress and anxiety. This research study attempts to understand the stress and anxiety among women as a result of dealing with this dual role. INTRODUCTION ON STRESS Stress is an inevitable concomitant of organizational life. Its source in an organization is task or role related. An organization, being a network of roles performed in interconnected positions, is dynamic in nature. The complex and dynamic environment of organization adds to further stress at work. These environmental forces include: 1. Rapid technological advancements, 2. The demands made on employee skills, 3. Increased employee expectations about the quality of work – life and incongruence between these expectations and the perceived organizational outcomes, and 4. Changes in organizations like downsizing, mergers, etc. These factors influence employment security, social relations at work and upward

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mobility, which, in turn, will result in stress of the employees. A number of researches have been conducted about stress over the last hundred years. Some of the theories behind it are now settled and accepted; others are still being researched and debated. During this time, it seems that open warfare between competing theories and definitions does exist. Views have been passionately held and aggressively defended. Stress occurs when there is an imbalance between demands made on a person and the resources available to respond to the demand. The demand may be real (i.e. things outside the person's control, such as departure time of a plane and traffic) or perceived (how the person views the situation, i.e. within his/her control or sphere of influence). Similarly, the resources may be real (fact) or perceived (what one thinks, feels, imagines, etc). CONCEPT OF STRESS Definitions Hans Selye was one of the founding fathers of stress research. His view in 1956 was that ―stress is not necessarily something bad – it all depends on how you take it. The stress of exhilarating, creative successful work is beneficial, while that of failure, humiliation or infection is detri mental. Selye believed that the biochemical effects of stress would be experienced irrespectively whether the situation was positive or negative. Since then a great deal of further research has been conducted, ideas have moved further. Stress is now viewed as a "bad thing", with a range of harmful biochemical and long-term effects. These effects have rarely been observed in positive situations.

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The most commonly accepted definition of stress (mainly attributed to Richard S Lazarus) is that stress is a condition or feeling experienced, when a person perceives that ―demands exceed the personal and social resources, the individual is able to mobilize. In short, it's what we feel when we think of losing control over the events. We also recognize that there is an intertwined instinctive stress response to unexpected events. The stress response inside us is part instinct and part to do with the way we think. It is generally thought that stress will always have bad effects. It is not always true. Stress may result in better effects also. The twin effects of stress are: the stress which results in good effects is called eustress and that which results in bad effects is called distress. Eustress Good stress (i.e.) Eustress can have a positive impact on a person. This form of stress is achieved, when the brain and body feel challenged and want to extend themselves in order to respond to the situation. This is caused when a person feels as though (he or she): 1.

has ideas of possible solutions to the challenge ( "Look at all these

possibilities!") 2.

has

the

resources

(internal

and

external)

to

solve

the challenge

("I can do it!"); 3.

has some control over what is happening ("I have choices!");

4.

has had sufficient rest between his/her challenges.

Distress When we talk of bad stress (Distress), we're talking about something that directly causes the brain and body to shrink in its working capacity, resulting in low- performance

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levels. It is caused when a person feels anxious, threatened (may be embarrassed, pressed for time, loss of prestige) or is overwhelmed with feelings of helplessness. This occurs when a person feels he or she: 1.

is being forced to face a challenge that he does not want to ("I do not want to do

it"); 2. 3.

cannot think of a solution to the challenge ("I do not know how"); lacks the resources (internal, as in brain capacity, or external as in

materialistic) to solve the challenge ("I cannot do it"); 4.

has little or no control over the situation ("I am helpless").

These perceptions can be real (the person actually has no control or power over changing

the situation)

or imagined

(the person

could have influence over the

situation) but the effects are the same: the person feels threatened and in danger. This danger could be physical safety or his psychological state of mind. FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE SEVERITY OF STRESS The severity of stress is the amount or level of stress that is felt as a result of a stressor. There are certain factors which influence the degree of stress experienced; these have an impact on the person's wellbeing both physically and mentally. The characteristics of the stressor that influence stress include the following: Significance How much changes will an event exert depends upon how much the event is important and critical to the individual.

For example, the death of his/her beloved one, failing in

an examination, breakup with boy/girl friend, etc., may have adverse effect on the individual.

Similarly,

a pass in an interview,

winning

a lottery, promotion to

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higher position, etc, may have positive effect on the individual.

The greater the

significance and change is, the higher the impact of the stressor is. Time length If a stressor continues over a long period of time, it will result in higher stress levels. For example, insufficient sleep over an extended period of time will result in higher stress. Cumulative Effect This is when stressors are built up over a period of time and left unnoticed. It results in cumulative effect. For example, a long series of little irritations and annoyances could result in a massive blowout between two people. Multiplicity A number of stressors at one time will result in higher stress levels than their sum. For example, a fight with one's parents, final exams around the corner and loss of a loved one, etc., all this happening at a time will be more stressful than each of these events that happened separately. Approaching deadline If a demand has been made a few weeks or months in advance of the deadline, the degree of stress will increase as the due date approaches. For example, if a person is given a project assignment two months in advance, it will probably seem too far away to get worked up about. As the deadline approaches, his stress level will increase until he does something about the project. Anxiety Anxiety may be defined as an emotional state in which physiological and psychological indications like rapid tremor in the limbs, sweating of hands, flushing of the face and 9|Page

neck, heart palpitations, blood pressure, inability to sit still, pacing the room, chain smoking, tenseness, restlessness etc. are clearly visible. It has been studied as a motivational variable which interferes with academic achievement. Anxiety as a normal phenomenon does not act as an energizer or drive to outperform activities and achieve our goals. A moderate amount of anxiety may prove beneficial and thereby improve one‟s performance but as a pathological phenomenon, it impairs the capacity to think and act freely, and harm our state of mind. Hull (1943) and Spence (1956) suggested that anxious persons are emotionally responsive and hence a well-learned response is not likely to be made- given the appropriate stimulus conditions- if the individual is anxious. High anxiety or emotional responsiveness would only add the confusion and difficulty of such tasks. Spielberger (1966) viewed that anxiety is a palpable but transitory emotional state or condition characterized by feelings of tension and apprehension and heightened automatic nervous activity. According to Spielberger's (1966) STAT, anxiety is being studied as a personality trait (trait anxiety) and also as a transitory emotional state (state anxiety) and due to lack of distinction between the two, conceptual confusion with respect of anxiety has arisen. Anxiety is distinguished from fear, which is an appropriate cognitive and emotional response to a perceived threat and is related to the specific behaviours of fight-or-flight responses, defensive behaviour or escape. It occurs in situations only perceived as uncontrollable or unavoidable, but not realistically so. Barlow (2001) defined anxiety as "a future-oriented mood state in which one is ready or prepared to attempt to cope with

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upcoming negative events," and that it is a distinction between future and present dangers which divides anxiety and fear. In positive psychology, anxiety is described as the mental state that results from a difficult challenge for which the subject has insufficient coping skills. In the fast pace modern era of rapid industrialisation, urbanisation and commercialisation where daily routine is being scheduled with excess workload, and is too hectic to be carried on, anxiety and other problems like stress are increasing. These have become characteristics of modern-day life hampering our lifestyle and making certain phenomenon changes. Anxiety can be correlated with gender, age, socio-economic background and socio-economic status, educational background, life satisfaction, etc. Anxiety is one of the most common psychological disorders in school aged children and adolescents worldwide (Costello et al., 2003). The prevalence rate ranges from 4.0% to 25% with an average rate of 8.0% (Bernsteen & Borchardt, 1991; Bodd et al., 2000). Anxiety is considered to be a universal phenomena existing across culture, although its contexts and manifestations are influenced by cultural beliefs and practices (Kleinman, 1985; Guarnaccia, 1997). Despite the clinical focus on depression, youth anxiety disorders also are important because they are precursors to later development of depression (Chavira et al.,2004). Anxiety is the displeasing feeling of fear and concern (Davison, 2008). Anxiety may be defined as a feeling tone of anticipation, generally unpleasant. Physiologically, it is manifested in the "fight or flight" mechanism which is triggered by a release of a 11 | P a g e

comparatively large amount of adrenalin into the bloodstream. Anxiety often leads to a feeling of fatigue. In the psychological sphere, there is often an increased self-awareness felt as self-consciousness, or as heightened awareness of one's body. Insomnia is frequent. Perception of surroundings is likewise heightened and may be distorted. Anxiety is considered to be a normal reaction to a stressor. It may help an individual to deal with a demanding situation by prompting them to cope with it. However, when anxiety becomes overwhelming, it may fall under the classification of anxiety disorder. Generally, it helps in improving the performance of an individual. It means anxiety should not cross its threshold value; otherwise it will reach its abnormal level (National Institute of Mental Health, 2008). Anxiety can be experienced with long, drawn out daily symptoms that reduce quality of life, known as chronic (or generalized) anxiety, or it can be experienced in short spurts with sporadic, stressful panic attacks, known as acute anxiety. Symptoms of anxiety can range in number, intensity, and frequency, depending on the person. While almost everyone has experienced anxiety at some point in their lives, most do not develop longterm problems with anxiety. Anxiety is particularly a human phenomenon and is considered to be a unique contribution of the 21st century to the mankind. The twenty first century is also known as "the age of anxiety". Fear or anxiety has evolved over countless generations as an adaptive mechanism for coping with dangerous or threatening situation and both terms have been used synonymously. However, there is a distinction between fear and anxiety. The former is episodic whereas the latter is chronic (Jitender & Mona, 2015).

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Types, Risk factors, Causes and Effects of Anxiety Anxiety is of mainly two types- State and Trait anxiety. State Anxiety According to Spielberger et al. (1970), state anxiety reflects a "transitory emotional state or condition of the human organism that is characterized by subjective, consciously perceived feelings of tension and apprehension, and heightened autonomic nervous system activity." It is the anxiety state we experience when something causes us to feel appropriately and temporarily anxious and this anxiety then retreats until we feel 'normal' again. After the 'threat' has subsided, the anxiety state retreats and the person feels 'normal' again. This is how most people feel most of the time. State anxiety is characterised by a state of heightened emotions that develop in response to a fear or danger of a particular situation. It can contribute to a degree of physical and mental paralysis, preventing performance of a task or where performance is severely affected, such as forgetting movements during a dance or gymnastic routine; to breaking in sprint or swim starts or missing relatively easy shots at goal i.e. pressure situations (NSW HSC Online, 2015). Trait Anxiety Trait anxiety refers to a general level of stress that is characteristic of an individual, that is, a trait related to personality. Trait anxiety varies according to how individuals have conditioned themselves to respond to and manage the stress. What may cause anxiety and stress in one person may not generate any emotion in another. People with high levels of

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trait anxiety are often quite easily stressed and anxious. According to Spielberger et al. (1970), "Trait anxiety denotes relatively stable individual differences in anxiety proneness and refers to a general tendency to respond with anxiety to perceived threats in the environment." It is the 'pre-set' level of anxiety experienced by an individual who has a tendency to be more anxious; to react less appropriately to anxiety provoking stimuli (NSW HSC Online, 2015). Risk Factors for Anxiety Very little is known about antecedent risk factors for anxiety disorders in girls and women. Seminal findings from a female twin registry suggest that genetic factors are an important hazard for anxiety disorders in women. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is of interest because of findings that it shares a common genetic pathway with major depression in women (Kendler, 1996). Familial environment also may contribute to increased risk, especially for GAD (Hettema, Neale & Kendler, 2001). An emerging literature offers compelling evidence that early life adversity, such as childhood sexual or physical abuse, predisposes to the development of anxiety disorders later in life (Safren et al., 2002). Women who were sexually abused as children appear to be at increased risk of adult-onset Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Nisith, Mechanic & Resick, 2000). Childhood physical and sexual abuse in patients with anxiety disorders and in a community sample. Similarly, when assessed as adults, adolescent girls who had formerly been exposed to stress exhibit a greater risk for symptoms of GAD than adolescent boys (Pine et al., 2002).

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Other Risk factors of anxiety that may increase the risk of developing an anxiety disorder (Mayo Clinic): a. Being females: Females are more likely to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder as compared with their male counterparts because they are exposed to more anxiety provoking situations both in personal and professional life such as handling family members and maintaining day- to- day schedules, being at office on time and working till evening is really tiring job, and still she has to prepare meal at night and do the rest of the household work, and so on. b. Trauma: Children who endured abuse or trauma or witnessed traumatic events are at higher risk of developing an anxiety disorder at some point in life. Adults who experience a traumatic event also can develop anxiety disorders. c. Stress due to an illness: Having a health condition or serious illness can cause significant worry about issues such as treatment and future. d. Stress build up: A big event or a build-up of smaller stressful life situations may trigger excessive anxiety - for example, a death in the family or ongoing worry about finances. e. Personality: People with certain personality types for an example; neurotics and psychotics are more prone to anxiety disorders than others. f. Having blood relatives with an anxiety disorder: Anxiety disorders can run in families. g. Drugs or alcohol: Drug or alcohol use or abuse or withdrawal can cause or worsen anxiety.

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h. Other mental health disorders: People with other mental health disorders, such as depression, often experience anxiety disorder as well. Causes of Anxiety Anxiety arises from faulty adaptations to the daily stress and strains of our life. Some of the main causes of anxiety may be due to following: 1. Physical Condition/Physical Triggers a. Autonomic Nervous System of humans: The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) of humans is hard wired to respond to dangers or threats. These responses are not subject to conscious control and are the same in humans as in lower animals. They represent an evolutionary adaptation to animal predators and other dangers that all animals including primitive humans had to cope with. The most familiar reaction of this type is the fight or flight reaction to a life threatening situation when people have fight or flight reactions, the level of stress hormones in their blood rises. They become more alert and attentive, their eyes dilate, their heartbeats increases, their breathing rates increases, and their digestion slows down, making more energy available to the muscles. This emergency reaction is regulated by a part of the nervous system called the autonomic nervous system or ANS. The ANS is controlled by the hypothalamus, a specialized part of the brainstem that is among a group of structures called the limbic system. The limbic system controls human emotions through its connections to glands and muscles. It also connects to the ANS and higher brain centres, such as parts of the cerebral cortex. One problem with this arrangement is that the limbic system cannot tell the difference between a real physical 16 | P a g e

threat and an anxiety-producing thought or idea. The hypothalamus may trigger the release of stress-hormones from the pituitary gland even when there is no external danger (Spielberger, 1972). b. Biochemical basis of anxiety: A second problem is caused by the biochemical sideeffects of too many false alarms in the ANS. When a person responds to a real danger, his/her body relieves itself of the stress hormones by facing up to the danger or fleeing from it. In modern life, however, people often have fight or flight reactions in situations where they cannot run away and lash out physically (Schwarzar, 1997). As a result, their bodies have to absorb all the biochemical charges of hyper arousal rather than release them. These biochemical changes can produce anxious feelings as well as muscle tension and other physical symptoms associated with anxiety. c. Social and environmental stressors: Since humans are social creatures, anxiety often has a social dimension to act over it. People frequently report feelings of high anxiety when they anticipate fear of the loss of social approval or love. Social phobia is a specific anxiety disorder that is marked by high levels of anxiety or fear of embarrassment in social situations (Sheikh & Bhusan, 2002). Another social stressor is prejudice for people who belong to groups that are targets of bias have a higher risk of developing anxiety disorders. Some experts think, e.g. that the higher rates of phobias and panic disorder among women reflects their greater social and economic vulnerability. Several controversial studies indicate that the increase in violent or upsetting pictures and stories in news reports and entertainment may raise people's anxiety levels. Environmental or occupational factors can also cause

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anxiety people who must live or work around sudden or loud noises, bright or flashing lights, chemical vapours, or similar nuisances that they cannot avoid or control may develop heightened anxiety levels. d. Personality: Many hypotheses show that life experiences alone does not determine whether a person will or will not develop anxiety (Taylor, 1953). The researchers believe personality may play a major role in how well a person deals with whatever life throws their way. This is based on the idea that people who have low selfesteem and poor coping skills seems to be more prone to developing anxiety than do people with higher self-esteem and good coping skills. People who have low self-esteem or poor coping skills tend to look at the situation as more of a challenge, which results in greater amount of self-inflicted stress. These stressors if left unchecked results in the development of anxiety. Still, other scientists believe and look to faulty brain chemistry as the underlying cause of anxiety. This is probably the most widely accepted theory of why people develop anxiety, but it is also one of the theories which are highly debated. This theory has become widely accepted since the symptoms of anxiety can be treated with medications. People suffering from anxiety and depression are thought to have altered levels of neurotransmitters. The two chief chemicals involved are Nor-adrenaline and Serotonin when given medications; the levels of neurotransmitters are regulated, therefore, relieving the symptoms of anxiety. The debate over the brain chemistry theory centres on the issue of whether the person would have improved even without the medications. Each of these theories, heredity, life experiences, brain chemistry and personality, are plausible causes of anxiety. 2. Drugs/Medication 18 | P a g e

Numerous medications may cause anxiety like symptoms as a side effect. They include: a. Thyroid and asthma control b. Some psychotropic agents c. Corticosteroids d. Anti-hypertensive drugs e. NSAIDS (such as Flurbiprofen) f. Local anaesthetics g. Caffeine can also cause anxiety-like symptoms when consumed in excess amount. h. Withdrawal from certain prescription drugs primarily 3-blockers and corticosteroids i. Withdrawal from drugs of abuse, including LSD > Cocaine > Alcohol > Opiates 3. Psychological Conditions a. Childhood Development and Anxiety: Researchers in early childhood development regard anxiety in adult life as a residue of childhood memories of dependency. Humans learn during the first year of life that they are not self-sufficient and that their basic survival depends on others. It is thought that this early experience of helplessness underlies the most common anxieties of adult life, including fear of powerlessness and fear of not being loved. Thus, adults can be made anxious by symbolic threats to their sense of competence or significant relationships, even though they are no longer helpless children. 4. Other Causes of Anxiety

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The causes of anxiety are wide-ranging and sometimes it seems to just come out of the blue, in these cases talking to a therapist who is more familiar with some of the common triggers of anxiety in men can help you find the root cause. Some of the common causes of anxiety are: Ongoing stress (e.g. pressure at work or from family life) Stress from a particular situation (e.g. job loss, moving house) Suffering abuse as a child (physical, psychological or sexual) Experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event Drug use (NB men more than women use drugs or alcohol to try and manage their anxiety, but these can actually contribute to anxiety in the long run). Effects of Anxiety The behavioural effects of anxiety may include withdrawal from situations which have provoked anxiety in the past. Anxiety can also be experienced in ways which include changes in sleeping patterns, nervous habits, and increased motor tension like foot tapping (Barker, 2003). The emotional effects of anxiety may include "feelings of apprehension or dread, trouble concentrating,

feeling

tense

or

jumpy,

anticipating

the

worst,

irritability,

restlessness, watching (and waiting) for signs (and occurrences) of danger, and, feeling like your mind's gone blank as well as "nightmares/bad dreams, obsessions about sensations, “deja vu”, a trapped in your mind feeling, and feeling like everything is scary” (Smith, 2008). 20 | P a g e

The cognitive effects of anxiety may include thoughts about suspected dangers, such as fear of dying. "You may fear that the chest pains are a deadly heart attack or that the shooting pains in your head are the result of a tumour or aneurysm. You feel an intense fear when you think of dying, or you may think of it more often than normal, or can't get it out of your mind." (NSW HSC Online, 1987–2008). Appraisal of Threat-Anxiety (State) Threat appraisals are influenced by the objective characteristics of a situation and objectively dangerous stressors are realistically appraised as threatening by most people. But the thoughts and memories stimulated by a particular event, along with an individual„s coping skills and previous experience with similar circumstances, may often have an even greater impact. Consequently, the same stimulus may be seen as a threat by one person, a challenge by another and as largely irrelevant by a third. The experience of threat is essentially a state of mind which has two main characteristics: it is future oriented, generally involving the anticipation of a potentially harmful event that has not yet happened; it is mediated by complex mental processes, that is, perception, thought, memory, and judgment which are involved in the appraisal process. Threat appraisals of present or future danger serve an important function in producing emotional reactions that mobilize an individual to take action to avoid harm. But even when there is no objective danger, the perception or appraisal of situation as threatening transmits the essential message of stress which results in arousal of an anxiety state (Spielberger, 1989). RATIONALE OF THE STUDY

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Women play a pivotal role in the decision making process of organizations and within the family. Indian culture bestows on women the role of caretaker of the family. Women are increasingly moving out of their homes and into the work environment. A greater number of women are also entering the workforce of restricted industries. Thus women play the dual role of Non-working women and working women. A comparative study on the stress level and anxiety of women in this dual role of non-workingand working woman becomes significant. The study explores the stresses and anxiety faced by women in society. An overview of` the survey of Literature reveals that so for no serious effort has been undertaken to study on stress and anxiety among working and non-working women. Therefore, the investigator feels it important to conduct a research on stress and anxiety among working and non-workingwomen. OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF THE KEY TERMS Stress: Every human being has his own understanding of stress, because all demands of adaptability do evoke the stress phenomenon. Richard S. Lazarus has defined stress as “A condition or feeling or experienced when a person perceives that demand exceeds the personal and social sources, the individual is able to mobilize. Anxiety : Anxiety

means

mental

state

characterized

by apprehension,

uncertainty and fear. General anxiety as state and trait anxiety is measured. State anxiety as subjective feelings of tension, apprehension, nervousness and worry. Trait anxiety is described as a personality trait that indicates relatively stable individual differences in anxiety-proneness (Spielberger et al., 1983)

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Working Women: A woman who earns salary, wages, or other income through employment, outside the home, is termed as a working woman

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CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

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INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION “An essential aspect of a research project is review of related literature” - J. Mouly (1979) The review of related literature is as important as any other component of research process. It involves the systematic identification, location and anal ysis of documents containing information related to the research problem. The major purpose of reviewing the literature is to determine the study already been done that relates to one‟s problem. Another important function of review is how it helps in planning the present work or the resources, and specific procedures and meaning instruments that have been opted for this work.

Being familiar with previous research also facilitates interpretation

of the results of the study. Finally, these reviews give information which can either support or challenge the conclusions of the investigator‟s research and therefore provide clues to later research. MEANING OF THE RELATED STUDY Study of the related literature implies locating, reading and educating reports of research as well as reports of causal observation and opinions that are related to the individual‟s planned research project.

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NEED FOR THE REVIEW OF LITERATURE A thorough survey of literature can be of great help to the investigator to understand the problem from different dimensions. It enriches the study. It gives necessary insight to the research study by which one can think creatively. PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW 1. The review of related literature enables the researcher to define the limits of his field. It helps the researcher to delimit and define his problem. The knowledge of related literature, brings the researcher up-to-date on the work which others have done and thus to state the objectives clearly and concisely. 2.

By reviewing the related literature the researcher can avoid unfruitful and useless

problem areas. He can select those areas in which positive findings are very, likely to result and his endeavors would be likely to add to the knowledge in a meaningful way. 3. Through

the

review

of

related

literature,

the

researcher

can

avoid

unintentional duplication of well established findings. It is no use to replicate a study when the stability and validity of its results have been clearly established. 4. The final and important specific reason for reviewing the related literature is to know about the recommendations of previous researchers listed in their studies for further research.

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Within the minimum time, an earnest effort was made to collect the related relevant information pertaining to the area under study. Some of the studies are reported here. Anand S.P. (1989) conducted a study on mental health of high school students. The main objective of the study was to find out the mentally health and unhealthy students and to find out the relation between parental educational and occupational status. It was found that mental health of children was dependent upon education and occupational status of parents.

Sound mental health was positively related to academic achievement and

both of them were positively related to parental status. The degree of mental health was also related to the type of school, being the highest in convenient schools, followed by Sainik DAV and DM schools, respectively. Bhugendranath Panda (1989) conducted a study on mental health personal adjustment and Saora Acculturation (A cross-cultural study) in secondary school students, boys and girls. The samples selected for the study were 290 students. The main objective of the study was to study the independent and interactive effects of acclimation and sex on mental health score of Oriya children. He found that, Oriya groups possess better social adjustment than other groups; and there does not any difference between all other group combinations in their mental health. Rao (1979) conducted a study on mental problems of children in the age range of 13-16 years of old boys and girls sample selected for this study was 428. He found that 18.80% boy and 22.80% girls sufferings mental health problems. Albert and Howard (1977), examined child rearing practices, socio economic antecedents on the group embedded figure test performance in the age range of 14-15 years old high school children of racially mixed and Negro populations. It was found that differences

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between ethnic group and child rearing practices and SES factors determined cognitive styles. Hardeo, Ohja and Rajiv R.Singh (1988) Conducted a study on ―child rearing attitude on related to 8 insecurity and dependent proneness.

The purpose of the

investigation was to determine the relationship of child rearing attitude with personality traits of security – insecurity and dependence process 156 adolescents (107 boys, 49 girls) were administered Ohja parent Behavior inventory.

Moshin Hindi

adaptation of Maslow security insecurity test and Sinha dependence process scale. The results indicated that fathers and mothers are restrictive, rejective; neglecting attitude gives rise to insecurity while their permissive attitude reduces insecurity. Projective child rearing of both parents fosters dependences proneness while their neglecting attitudes negatively associated with it father restriction was positively

associated

with

dependence proneness but mother‘s restriction was associated with it. Hema Varma (1997) conducted a study on parent‘s personality; their child rearing attitudes and they‘re off spring‘s personality. The purpose of the study was to inter correlate the parent‘s personality and child rearing attitudes and their children‘s personality to meet this purpose two samples were selected 100 parents and 100 students (50 boys and 50 girls) Parents (100 mothers and 100 fathers of the same family).

To

determine parents‘ personality aggression, authoritarianism, Anxiety extroversion and neuroticism dimensions were selected.

To determine the child rearing attitudes

restrictive – permissive, loving – rejecting protecting – neglecting attitude dimension were included. It was assumed that parents child rearing attitudes will be significantly related to their off springs, personality and to their own personality and parent‘s

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personality will be significantly related to boys and girls personality. It was found that parents‘ personality is very strongly associated with the children‘s‘ personality. There was significant relation between parent‘s child rearing and children‘s personality. Prasanna K.C.B (1989) conducted a study on certain mental health variables associated with high and low achieving adolescents. 1) It studied that all the mental health variables studied discriminated between high and low achieves in most of the groups studies. 2) High achievers had higher mean scores than low achievers for all the 16 mental health variables studied. The findings of the study indicate the need A) avoid threats which caused disequilibrium in children. B) To provide for guidance – oriented teaching. C) To organize extension lectures for parents and community D) To form parent – teacher association and to encourage pupils to participate in extracurricular activities and institutional guidance. Vashishta.K.C. (1982), conducted a study on personality differences among family reared and institution reared boys and girls as indicated by Rorschach ink blots. 1) He found that family – reared boys and girls were superior on the trait of emotional construction. 2) Family reared boys and girls possessed abundance of creative impulses. 3) Institution – reared boys and girls possessed marked inhibition of sexuality. 4) Family – reared boys and girls were more dependent. 5) Family reared boys and girls exhibited traits regarding relish for sexual experience.

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6) Institution – reared boys felt difficulty in establishing close personal relationship. 7)

Family-reared boys and girls were more interested in practical concern than in

theorizing. 8) Family reared boys and institution reared girls had a high level of general anxiety. 9) Institution – reared girls had high anxiety concerning bodily function. 10) Institution – reared boys and girls were highly introspective. 11) Family reared boys and girls had high inhibition of aggression. 12) Family reared boys and institution reared girls were superior in emotional construction. 13) Family reared boys and institution reared girls had abundance of creative impulses. 14) Family – reared girls and institution – reared boy‘s possessed marked inhibition of sexuality. 15) Family reared boys had a high degree of empathy. The concept of stress was introduced in life science by Selye Hans in 1936. Stress was defined as any external event or internal drive which threatens to upset the organic equilibrium (Selye Hans, 1956). Stress was defined as causing a threat to the quality of work life as well as physical and psychological well being (Cox, 1978). Stress is determined as generalised, patterned unconscious mobilization of the body's natural ability (Yahaya et al., 2009). Stress is a consequence of or a general response to an action or situation that places special physical or psychological demands, or both, on a person (Hogan, 1991). Job stress is “a condition arising from the interaction of people and their

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jobs and is characterized by changes within people that force them to deviate from their normal functioning” (Beehr and New man, 1978). Job-related stress factors are adverse working conditions such as excessive noise, extreme temperature or overcrowding (Mcgrath, 1978), role ambiguities, conflict, overload and under load (Arcold et al, 1986). Explored stress management techniques used by working women are sleep and relaxation, exercise, time management, diet and yoga (Upamany 1997). The research study has reported that supportive work and family policy, effective management, communication, health insurance coverage for mental illness and chemical dependence, and fixed scheduling of work hours were effective in reducing job burnout (Lawless, 1991). Work and family are two important parts of a person's life and both are closely related (Ford et al., 2007). Since an increasing number of women are entering the work force and pursuing careers (Sevim, 2006), they have to balance the competing demands of both workplace and family life (Bickasiz, 2009). Working women are working for longer hours and taking more work at home (Dawn et al, 1999). This situation results in a greater amount of stress for working women. Schmitt et al (1980) in their study on the causes ofphysical symptoms of stress among workers in 80 organisations in U.S. found that age is related to psychosomatic and physical symptoms. Khanna (1992) studied life stress among working and non-working women in relation to anxiety and depression. Anxiety was found to be significantly and negatively related to positive life change in non-working women while depression was found to be significantly and positively related to positive life change in working women, and negative life change in non-working women. These results suggest that in India, among

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working women positive life changes are related to depression, whereas among nonworking women positive life changes are related to anxiety, and negative life changes to depression. Most common outcomes of stress for the working woman were poor mental and physical health resulting in depression, anxiety, asthma, and colitis (Khanna, 1992; Mukhopadhyay, 1996; Sailaja & Swaminathan, 1992a, 1992b; Srivastava, 1995). Beck et al. (1961) conducted a study on the mental health and anxiety among working and non-working mothers and found that working mothers had better mental health and reported less anxiety than the non-working mothers. The most frequently reported source of stress for working mothers was not having enough time to do everything, whereas for non-working mothers, lack of social life was a major stressor. Another research suggests that mothers who are in situations where there is conflict in the roles they play (work outside the home and the traditional role of housewife) would experience certain anxiety, that they would feel less satisfaction in their role of wife-mother, and that they would not feel capable of fulfilling themselves in either of these roles. It had also been predicted that women who attached relatively little importance to the traditional role of wife-mother would experience no more difficulty in their full-time role outside the home than do those women who devote themselves entirely to the traditional feminine role. However, there was little or no difference between the two groups (Siegel & Haas, 1963). Nye (1963) in one of the interesting study on working mothers concluded that working mothers are somewhat more positive in their attitude towards children and has described parenthood as less restricting, burdensome and demanding than unemployed mothers.

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In a comparative study of working and non-working mothers on measures of mental health, self-esteem, and mother role satisfaction have positive effects (Field, 1964). Kapur (1970) studied role conflict among women and found that working women felt their personal and professional roles were conflicting. Hoffman (1974) has concluded that the working woman who obtains satisfaction from her work, who has adequate arrangements so that her dual role does not involve undue strain and who does not feel so guilty that she over-compensates is likely to do quite well and under- certain conditions better than non-working mother. Another study on working women indicated that women who choose to combine marriage with career face a critical situation and they hardly know how to apportion time and resources between these two major responsibilities. This makes them experience great conflict, strain and anxiety (Kapur, 1974). Researches dealt with the psychological symptoms associated with role stress such as job satisfaction, job involvement, self-esteem, depression, anxiety and attitudes towards job.The stresses include task and role; inherent characteristics such as role conflict, role efficiency, role ambiguity, role overload and working conditions (Pareek, 1976). Rani (1976) examined why working women took up a paid job (the assumption being that they were doing something that was traditionally against their nature and prescribed role, especially since they had very few role models being first generation working women themselves). The study cited three reasons that motivated women to seek jobs outside their traditional roles: economic or monitory gain, social role enhancement and personal reasons. It was also reported that working women felt stressed due to the inability to perform their traditional role (of homemaker and spouse) as there was not enough time or

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energy. This scarcity was the result of their working status. Support and a positive attitude from husbands towards wives‟ work helped reduce the strain. Working women employed paid help for two reasons: to reduce the demand from housework and because they could afford to pay for human help (servants or maids). As employment of women particularly from middle class is a new phenomenon, no fixed pattern or redefinition of role of women in terms of the changed context has yet been achieved. Neither working women nor their husbands, nor society in general, is clear about their roles. Women‟s role and position at present are therefore, not clearly defined, and thus the situation leads to role conflict and anxiety amongst working mothers (Chakraborty, 1978). Gupta and Sruti (1982) carried out a study to analyse stress among working women and its effect on marital adjustment. It was revealed that working women suffer from role conflict and experienced high level of anxiety, which affects their marital compatibility, close and intimate relationships and of course work productivity. Kessler and MacRae (1982) in their study observed that the factors such as financial situation, children‟s age, work availability, work passion, partner‟s support and health all plays role in the decision to be working mom or stay-at-home mom. Non-working mothers are concerned with their domestic field and has less scope to deal with external stress situation. Their single role creates less pressure in their life and situation and hence state anxiety is less prominent in them than in the case of working mothers. This finding is supported by the study of Hoffman (1986); Kessler and MacRae (1982). Moreover, they found that in general, state and trait both anxieties were prominent in case of working mothers than in that of the non-working mothers.

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Hemlatha and Suryanarayana (1983) concluded through a study on role interventions of married working women that women‟s problems were greatly influenced by the age and socio-economic status of working women and husband‟s nature, children‟s age and number, family type and the nature of work and work timings. Husbands‟ understanding

and cooperation was very important to lessen working women‟s

problems. Light (1984) studied the relationship between working mother‟s anxiety, depression, hostility levels and their perceived career and family role commitments. It was reported that women who placed career roles over family roles scored significantly higher on anxiety than those for whom family roles were more important. It is, indeed, that career committed mothers who are more at risk. Khanna (1992) studied life stress among working and non-working women in relation to anxiety and depression. Anxiety was found to be significantly and negatively related to positive life change in non-working women while depression was found to be significantly and positively related to positive life change in working women, and negative life change in non-working women. These results suggest that in India, among working women positive life changes are related to depression, whereas among nonworking women positive life changes are related to anxiety, and negative life changes to depression. Most common outcomes of stress for the working woman were poor mental and physical health resulting in depression, anxiety, asthma, and colitis (Khanna, 1992; Mukhopadhyay, 1996; Sailaja & Swaminathan, 1992a, 1992b; Srivastava, 1995).

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It has been observed that having a job has a positive effect on women‟s health, and that the increasing participation of women in the workforce over decades has not negatively affected their health but rather has improved it (Hall, 1992). Working women are in better physical and psychological health than housewives (Baruch & Barnett, 1986; Hall 1992; Matthews et al. 2001), and have lower levels of morbidity and mortality than unemployed women and housewives (Silman, 1987). Hardy and Barkham (1994) found associations between anxious/ambivalent attachment patterns and reported anxiety about work performance and relationships at work. Avoidant patterns were associated with & concern over hours of work and, difficulties in relationships at home and with social life. Lennon (1994) studied and found that fulltime housework involves more autonomy, more interruptions, greater physical efforts, more routine, fewer time pressures and less responsibility for matters outside one‟s control than paid work. Compared to fulltime

employed women, homemakers benefit from having less responsibility for

things outside their control. Employed women appeared to benefit from having less routinized work than the homemakers. Since, large numbers of non-professional women work not by choice as compared to the professionally employed women; this reflects their lower level of motivation and confidence which in turn is indicator of low life satisfaction and higher level of anxiety (Chaudhary,1995). In a comparison of working and non-working mothers, studies showed a positive statistically significant relationship with anxiety score. Traditional role theories suggest that women who are trying to maintain several roles would be expected to

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experience negative stressful feelings (Mukhopadhyay, 1996). It has been concluded by various studies that women (whether working or non-working) cope with anxiety in a physiologically more economical way but at a higher psychological cost. This feeling creates a number of physical and psychological problems for them. Carr et al. (1998) observed that even though a young mother chooses to work, the workplace and work environment as a whole continue to be hostile towards them; and shouldering dual responsibilities may actually decrease their productivity at a workplace. Some research have focused upon mothers who are working in the academic field where they have found slower academic progress attributed to working mothers in academic medicine. Prevalence of depression and anxiety were found to be higher during active life and reproductive years (20-40 years) of women who forms a significant proportion of the workforce (Stansfeld et al., 1999). The positive association between employment and women‟s health status may also reflect the selection of women being able to work, compared to those out of the labour force for health or family reasons (Vermeulen & Mustard, 2000). Only a few studies have not found significant differences in mental health status between women who work and those who do not (Warr & Parry, 1982; Waldron et al., 1982; Waldron, 1991). Housewives or non-working mothers were more positive in dealing with personal life stress, experienced high level of anxiety and had a high external locus of control than the working mothers (Kumari & Singh, 2000).

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Women, whether, in their motherhood or not, continues to work even after marriage. When both spouses work, it may be necessary for the mother to retain her job if she has insurance benefits, and if she wants to retire with better retirement benefits (Edelman, 2002). Bajaj and Sachdeva (2004) studied anxiety among working and non-working women. The working women were selected from three occupational sectors, i.e. nurses, school teachers and bank employees (15 in each sector). Results revealed that in the lower age group, working women exhibited significantly higher anxiety, whereas in the higher, age group, non-working women showed more anxiety. Overall, working women exhibited slightly more anxiety than non-working women, but the difference was not significant. Bakhshi et al. (2004) studied the impact of occupational stress on home environment: an analytical study of working women of Ludhiana city, with the objective to examine working conditions of selected categories of working women and to analyse the impact of occupational stress on home environment as perceived by the respondents. Results revealed that the impact of stress on house care was high while impact of stress on social and leisure life revealed that they preferred to go for outing. Impact of stress on miscellaneous work showed that there is no significant difference. Barnett (2004) pointed out the fact that employment has positive benefits on the mother. It is also assumed that the roles of a mother and wife have relatively less stress as they are natural roles, whereas the role of employee, being unnatural, is regarded as highly demanding.

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Léger Marketing (2004) conducted a National Survey study based on telephone interviews with 1,508 working women over 18 years of age who were diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety, or who met diagnostic criteria. The report revealed that one in five working Canadian women experience depression or anxiety, which has caused some women to avoid or even, quit work. The survey found that most of the women who experience depression or anxiety are: (1) between the ages of 35 and 55; (2) lived in a city or a suburban community; and (3) have children. These women had crossed most occupation types, education levels and income segments. The study also found regional differences: More women in British Columbia were diagnosed with depression and anxiety at 18 per cent than those from eastern regions such as 12 per cent in Ontario and 12 per cent in Quebec. Ojha and Rani (2004) studied life stress and mental health of working and non-working women, observed that the stress experienced by working women was significantly higher than non-working women. Wilson (2006) has concluded that a great rush of married women into the workforce is against the traditional belief that women must choose between family and career. Many observers condemned working mothers as selfish, unnatural and even dangerous to their society. He observed and concluded from his study that many working women reported to have been doing their job as because they were seriously in need of money and as a result, there was a dramatic increase in family‟s standard of living. Woodward (2007) found that working women reported high workloads, requiring long working hours, which consumed time and energy otherwise available for other relationships and commitments and their own leisure. The situation is worst for working

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mothers as they have to make arrangement for their children when they have to go to work and also have to have to help them in doing the home work when they are back home. The working mothers had better mental health and reported less depression than the nonworking mothers. The most frequently reported source of stress for working mothers was not having enough time to do everything, whereas for non-working mothers lack of social life was a major stressor (Anderson, 2009). Jain (2009) did a comparative study on working and non-working women in terms of personality, adjustment and anxiety. The study revealed that there was no significance difference found in the mean scores of anxiety of working and non-working women. Pandya and Thakkar (2009) studied working women and their problems. Their objectives were to study the job related and household work related problems of working women of Baroda and to study the differences in the overall problems, job related problems and household work related problems of working women in relation to their age, type of family, experience and distance from the workplace. It was found that most of the working women came from nuclear family because the nuclear family is free from most of the traditional restriction about female behaviour and there is more freedom for women to seek employment. Majority of the respondents had more job related and household work related problems. Iqbal et al. (2010) conducted a study on working and non-working mothers and found that anxiety existed among 57% of the sampled mothers; 36% of the working mothers and 74% of the non-working mothers reported to have anxiety. A statistically significant association between anxiety in women, educational level and number of children was

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found. However, no significant association was observed between mothers‟ anxiety and their family system. Amrithraj (2011) conducted a study of anxiety among 30 working and 30 non-working mothers. Results indicated that working mothers were found to be suffering from significantly higher levels of anxiety than the non-working mothers. The difference between the two groups was also found statistically significant. According to a study by Adhikari (2012), working mothers are prone to anxiety and depression regarding their method of child care as they are absentees for long duration. It was found that there were significant differences in anxiety of working mothers. But, no significant differences were observed in case of non-working mothers. Beh and Loo (2012) conducted a research on job stress and coping mechanisms among nursing staffs in Public Health Services. They intended to investigate the prominent causes and effects of job stress and coping mechanism among nurses in public health services. The results indicated that the major contributor of job stress among nurses is the job itself. Heavy workload, repetitive work, and poor working environment were among the stressors identified in the category of job itself. Respondents identified that inconsiderate and inequitable superior/matron, lack of recognition, and conflict within and between groups were the stressors. Respondents also view social support as a buffer against the dysfunctional consequences of stress emanating from the workplace and established network of friends, family, superior, peers, and colleagues to seek emotional support when faced with job-related stress in the workplace. Further, respondents adopt more than one coping mechanisms to combat job stress based on scenarios, situations, and level of job stress. This study is limited only to the nurses in a public hospital.

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Geraiya and Yogesh (2012) studied the anxiety and psycho-physical stress among working and non-working women. Results revealed significant difference in anxiety and psycho physical stress with respect to both working and non-working women. The correlation between anxiety and psycho physical stress revealed 0.65% positive correlation. Kaur et al. (2012) conducted a comparative study on working and non-working married women and intended to observe whether anxiety affects life satisfaction or not. Results revealed that there exists no significant difference between the two groups and the result showed that anxiety and life satisfaction are experienced differently by working and nonworking women. It indicates that the low and high life satisfaction depends upon the level of anxiety; the working women with low level of anxiety are higher on life satisfaction in contrast to the non-working women. The results of the study show that females those who are working and married, are low on anxiety with higher life satisfaction in comparison to the non-working married females. They perceived their life as challenging and secure. They feel comfortable with their life situations whereas the non-working married females are less satisfied with their lives. Their anxiety level is also higher than the anxiety level of working females. Tripathi and Bhattacharjee (2012) studied the condition of working mothers in India. They explained that in today‟s scenario both husband and wife has to work to create a balance in their work life as well as at home with their children. But it is still difficult for working mothers as she has to play multiple roles, both at office and home. This can leave working mothers stressed and anxious and the conditions can be awful if the family is not supportive. Moreover, in their paper, they discussed the different reasons due to

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which working women feel more stressed. They found out that even when both parents are working, the responsibility of care for sick member usually falls on the mother. Workload and anxiety are hence, high for working mothers. Bhadoria (2013) investigated the differences in level of anxiety and depression among working and non-working women. The results revealed that the mean score of working women is lower than the corresponding mean score of non-working women in level of anxiety. Also, significant mean difference on the level of anxiety and depression exists with respect to both working and non-working women. Bankole (2015) in his study examined the relationship between stress, anxiety and general life satisfaction of working mothers. The data findings revealed that there exists a significant relationship between perceived stress and life satisfaction. Moreover, it was reported that there exists a significant negative relationship between anxiety and life satisfaction of working mothers. Also, stress significantly predicted life satisfaction of working mothers. Both stress and anxiety had significant joint prediction of life satisfaction of working mothers. Findings were discussed in relation to existing literature on stress, anxiety and psychological factors relating to life satisfaction of working mothers. Chhansiya and Jogsan (2015) conducted a research on ego strength and anxiety among working and non-working women. They intended to know the significant difference in ego strength and anxiety between working and non-working women; and to check the relationship between ego strength and anxiety. The study revealed that there was significant difference between working and non-working women in the ego strength.

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Moreover, there was significant difference between working and non-working women on anxiety. Weiss llgen and Sharbaugh (2010) in their study related demographic variables to stressful events and job search. The findings of the study indicated that age, tenure in the organisation and the hierarchical positions were negatively related, while marital status and education are unrelated to stress and job research. Aldnnusi (2012) investigated the relationship between organisational and job stressors on the one hand and individual characteristics of a sample of managers using correlation analysis, on the other. It was found that educational attainment and level in the organisation are positively related to organisational stress. Rani (2014) examined why working women took up a paid job (the assumption being that they were doing something that was traditionally against their nature and prescribed role, especially since they had very few role models being first generation working women themselves). The study cited three reasons that motivated women to seek jobs outside their traditional roles: economic or monitory gain, social role enhancement and personal reasons. It was also reported that working women felt stressed due to the inability to perform their traditional role (of homemaker and spouse) as there was not enough time or energy. This scarcity was the result of their working status. Support and a positive attitude from husbands towards wives‟ work helped reduce the strain. Working women employed paid help for two reasons: to reduce the demand from housework and because they could afford to pay for human help (servants or maids). (Reddy & Ramamurti 2015) established that stress was found to be influenced by age, general ability and personality factors among 200 male executives. Age was positively

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correlated with stress among 80 executives (Beena and Poduval 1991)35. 1976)36

has

suggested

the

following

six

sources

(McGrath

of occupational stress.

(a)Task-based stress (difficulty, ambiguity, load, etc.), (b) Role-based stress (conflict, ambiguity, load, etc.) (c) Stress intrinsic to behaviour setting (e.g., effect of crowding or under manning etc.). (d) Stress arising from the physical environment itself (e.g., extreme hot/cold, hostile forces etc). (e) Stress arising from social environment in sense of interpersonal relations (e.g., interpersonal disagreement, privacy, isolation etc.) (f) Stress within the person system, which the focal person brings with him to the situation (e.g., anxiety, perceptual style, motivation, experience etc.). (Landy and Trumbo 2016) have reported job insecurity, excessive competition, hazardous working conditions, task demands and large or unusual working hours as major sources of job stress. Factors intrinsic to the job, i.e., paced-repetitive work, lack of opportunities to use valued skills and abilities, and high costs and penalties for mistakes have been indicated as stressors in the work setting (Kornhauser 1965)38. Time constraint (Hall and Lawler 1971)39, heavy workload (Buck 1972) excessive and inconvenient work hours (Mott 1972)41 have also been reported as sources of job stress. (Quick and Quick 1979)42 have emphasized the role of interpersonal factors in creating stress at work. Beck et al. (2016) conducted a study on the mental health and anxiety among working and non-working mothers and found that working mothers had better mental health and reported less anxiety than the non-working mothers. The most frequently reported source of stress for working mothers was not having enough time to do everything, whereas for non-working mothers, lack of social life was a major stressor.

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Hoffman (2015) has concluded that the working woman who obtains satisfaction from her work, who has adequate arrangements so that her dual role does not involve undue strain and who does not feel so guilty that she over-compensates is likely to do quite well and under certain conditions better than non-working mother. Another study on working women indicated that women who choose to combine marriage with career face a critical situation and they hardly know how to apportion time and resources between these two major responsibilities. This makes them experience great conflict, strain and anxiety (Kapur, 1974).

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CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY INTRODUCTION

Research methodology is a way to systematically investigate the research problem. It gives various steps in conducting the research in a systematic and a logical way. It is essential to define the problem, state objectives and hypothesis clearly. The research design provides the details regarding what, where, when, how much and by what means enquiry is initiated. Every piece of research must be planned and designed carefully so that the researcher precedes a head without getting confused at the subsequent steps of research. The researcher must have an objective understanding of what is to be done, what data is needed, what data collecting tools are to be employed and how the data is to be statistically analyzed and interpreted. There are a number of approaches to the design of studies and research projects all of which may be equally valid. Research is a systematic attempt to obtain answers to meaningful questions about phenomenon or events through the application of scientific procedures. It an objective, impartial, empirical and logical analysis and recording of controlled observation that may led to the development of generalizations, principles or theories, resulting to some extent in prediction and control of events that may be consequences or causes of specific phenomenon. Research is a systematic and refined technique of thinking, employing specialized tools, instruments and procedures in order to obtain a more adequate solution of a problem than would be possible under ordinary mean. Thus, research always starts from question. There are three objectives of research factual, practical and theoretical, which gives rise to

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three types of research: historical, experimental and descriptive. Research design has been defined by different social scientists in a number of ways. All these definitions emphasize systematic methodology in collecting accurate information for interpretation. Selltize et al. (1962) expressed their views as, “Research designs are closely linked to investigator’s objectives. They specify that research designs are either descriptive or experimental in nature.” Research design tells us how to plan various phases and procedures related to the formulation of research effort (Ackoff Russell, 1961). Miller (1989) has defined research design, “as the planned sequence of the entire process involved in conducting a research study.” Kothari (1990) observes, “Research design stands for advance planning of the method to be adapted for collecting the relevant data and the techniques to be used in their research and availability of staff, time and money.” In this way selecting a particular design is based on the purpose of the piece of the research to be conducted. The design deals with selection of subjects, selection of data gathering devices, the procedure of making observations and the type of statistical analysis to be employed in interpreting data relationship”. RESEARCH METHOD It is not infrequent to find the terms ‘method’ and procedure used interchangeably in research literature. It is so because both the terms generally used to understand the tools and techniques, adopted in research study. Research studies are distinguished on the basis of their different purpose and approaches and that is why it may technically be called deference in methods. Research studies adopting different methods; however do not differ significantly in 49 | P a g e

their procedures. Selection, formulation and definition of the problem survey of related literature collection, analysis and interpretation of new data and reporting of the work done are the steps of procedure common to all types of methods of research. Hence it can be held that steps of procedure in educational research are an element common to all educational investigations, while methods of research in education are broad distinguishing features of different researches. To success fully complete any research work the method selected should always be appropriate to the problem under investigation; feasible preplanned and well understood it also depends upon the type of data required to be explored. After

careful

study

and

analysis

of

problem

under

investigation

and

observation of related literature the investigator has arrived to the conclusion that descriptive survey method is appropriate because this problem is related most to the survey method. HISTORICAL METHOD This provides a method of s to discover, describe and interpret what existed in the past. This type of research describes what was ,the process involve recording ,investigation, analysis and interpretation of the event of the past in order to make generalization, these generalization are helpful to understand the past, building a perspective about present to a limited extent understanding the future. The main purpose of historical research is to arrive at exact account of the past, this research help us partially to control future.

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DESCRIPTIVE METHOD This method is one of the important methods in education because it describes the current position of the present research. The terms survey suggest the gathering of evidence relating to current conditions. The term descriptive survey is generally used for type of research which proposes to as certain what is the normal or typical condition or practice at the present time. Descriptive survey method is one of the most common methods in research work. It is a method of collecting and analysis data obtained from large number of respondents representing specific population collected through highly structured and detailed questionnaire or interviews. It follows studying local, as well as state classification, evaluation and generalization all directed towards a proper under standing and solution of significant educational problems. Three types of information are collected by this method these are:1.

Information of what exists by studying and analyzing important aspects of

present situation. 2. Information of what we want by clarifying goals and objectives possible through a study of the conductions existing. 3.

Information of how to get these through discovering the possible means of

achieving the goals on the basis of the experience of other or the opinion of experts. The investigator in her present study has attempted to study the personality traits of children of working and non-working mothers. Due to large number of women taking to professional jobs, such a study is relevant to 51 | P a g e

present and current conditions. MAIN STAGES OF RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research methodology is a vital term in which a research is conducted through various stages beginning with the planning and ending with the writing of the final report. Following are the different stages of research methodology:1. Selecting the Research Problem. 2. Specification of the sources of information 3. Determination of the survey technique. 4. Designing the research project. 5. Census and sample investigation. 6. Collection of data. 7. Analysis of data and methods of analysis. 8. Arriving at the generalization. 9. Preparation of the report of the thesis .

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RESEARCH METHOD Evaluative research technique of Descriptive Research was employed to carry out this piece of research work. RESEARCH PROBLEM “STRESS AND ANXIETY AMONGST WORKING AND NON WORKING WOMEN” OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 

To compare the level of stress among working and non working women.



To compare the level of anxiety among working and non working women.



To study the relationship between stress level and anxiety among working and non working women

HYPOTHESES OF THE STUDY H01. There is significant difference between the stress level of working and non working women. H02.There is significant difference in the level of anxiety among working and non working women. H03.There is significant relationship between stress level and anxiety among working and non working women. POPULATION In the present study, the population refers to working women in Gurgaon. SAMPLE In the present study, the population refers to working and non-Working women in Gurgaon. For the present study, 50 working women and 50, non-working under the age

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group of 25-35 years in Gurgaon was constitute the sample. The sample was selected based on purposive sampling technique. TOOLS USED FOR DATA COLLECTION The following tools was employed: STRESS SCALE For the measurement of stress level of SS stress scale were used. It is constructed by Dr. M. Singh (2002). It is verbal test. This test is available in both version Hindi and English. Stress scale Hindi version was used in present research. It is published by institute of research and test development, Mumbai. It can be used individually or in a group. This stress scale is self-reporting scale of measuring stress. Reliability coefficient of the scale was estimated by Split-half method and Test-retest method and correlation was found 0.82 and 0.79 respectively. Validity coefficient was computed with Bist Battery of Stress Scale (Abha Rani Bist) and correlation was found 0.61. Norms: Sample consists of stressriden 80 male and 60 female patients reported in mental clinics. The age range was 16 to 60 years. It consists of 40 statements. Each statement has “always”, “sometime” and “never” alternatives from which a respondent has to choose any one response out of three alternatives. STATE TRAIT ANXIETY INVENTORY (STAI) Maternal state and trait anxiety will be measured using Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) Spielberger et al., (1970) is a reliable and valid tool that has been used with both clinical and non-clinical populations. The measure comprises separate self–report scales for assessing state and trait anxiety. The state anxiety scale consists of 20 items that evaluate how a person presently feels (or the current

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feelings of tension, anxiety, and nervousness), while trait anxiety scale evaluates how the subject generally feels with respect to 20 statements. State anxiety is conceptualized as transitory emotional state, whereas trait-anxiety refers to relatively stable individual differences in proneness to anxiety. Adaptation of Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory by Mohandas and Kumar (1994), Mahatma Gandhi University was used in this study. This inventory also contains 20 state and 20 trait questions and was filled on each occasion. Reliability: This standardized tool was tested in the locality by many researchers. Splithalf reliability was 0 .89 for State anxiety and 0.79 for Trait anxiety. Validity: The correlation coefficient obtained for State inventory was 0.84 and for Trait inventory was 0.86. Face validity was also assured by item analysis. Cronbach’s alpha, in the previous study was >0.88 for state anxiety and >0.83 for trait anxiety. Scoring: The range of possible scores of STAI varies from minimum score of twenty to maximum score of 80 in both State and Trait subscales. Clients respond to each STAI item by rating themselves on a four-point scale as described below : State Anxiety

Trait Anxiety

1. Not at all

1. Almost never

2. Somewhat

2. Sometimes

3. Moderately so

3. Often

4. Very much so

4.Almost always

The total score of 160 is considered as the maximum scores for STAI and in this study STAI score of < 50% will be considered as mild anxiety, 50-70% as moderate anxiety and above 70% scores as severe anxiety.

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Statistical Analysis The data was analyzed by using mean, standard deviation, t-test and coefficient of correlation by Pearson's product moment method. DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY 

The study was limited to the following due to time constrains and limited

 

resources to the investigator: The study was further delimited to the 100 working women in Gurgaon city. The study was further delimited to the working women who were a age group of 25-35 years.

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CHAPTER 4 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS

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DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS Introduction The research work is not completed merely by the collection of the data, in fact analysis and interpretation of data is also an important step of research work. “Tabulation is simply the recording of the number of the types of responses in the appropriate categories.” It is truism and weighty statement that the raw scores hardly carry any significant results unless they are interpreted and generalized in a proper way. The objective of the investigator remains unrealized without the interpretation and the analysis of the bars facts and material collected through the tools used for the study. Since it is only through generalization and interpretation that the researcher can reach certain conclusion, the objective of the chapter is the analysis of the data, which implies the study ofthe tabulated material in order to determine the inherent factors or meaning. It no doubt helps in breaking down the existing complex factors into simple parts and puts the part together in new arrangement for the purpose of interpretation. S.P. Sukhia After data is processed it has to be analyzed for testing the significance of the hypothesis framed. Analysis is a process enters into research in one form or the other, from the very beginning in the selection of the problem, in the determination of methods and in interpreting and drawing conclusions from data gathered. Analysis of data means studying the organized material in order to discover inherent facts. The data are studied from as many angles as possible to explore the few facts. Analysis 58 | P a g e

requires an alert, flexible and open mind. It is worthwhile to prepare plan of analysis before the actual collection of data. Good, Barr and Scates (1941) suggest four helpful modes to get started on analyzing the gathered data.  To think in terms of significant tables that the data permit. 

To examine carefully the statement of the problem and earlier analysis and to

study the original records of the data.  To get away from the data and to think about the problem in layman’s terms, or to actually discuss that problem with others.  To attack the data by making various statistical calculations. Interpretation is the final phase of the analysis process. According to Carter, V. Good, A.S. Barr and Douglas. E. Ecates, the process of interpretation is essentially one of stating what the results show, what they mean, what their significance is and what the answer to the original problem is. Interpretation is thus by no means a mechanical process. It calls for a critical examination of the results of one’s analysis in the light of all the limitations of data gathering. It is the most important step in the total procedure of research. The analysis and interpretation of data both together represent the application of inductive and deductive logic to the research process. The data are first classified by division into subgroup and are then analyzed and synthesized in such a way that hypothesis may be verified or rejected. The final result may be a new principle or generalization. Interpretation of the qualitative data is more dependent on the researcher’s research skills, research background, intelligence, creativity and biases. Need of Interpretation 59 | P a g e

It is through interpretation that the researcher can well understand the abstract principle that works beneath his findings. Interpretation leads to the establishment of explanatory concepts that can serve as a guide for future research studies. Research can better appreciate only through interpretation what are his findings and can make others to understand the real significance of his research findings. The interpretation of the finding of exploratory research study often results into hypothesis for experimental research. Technique of interpretation The technique of interpretation often involves the following steps: (i)

Researcher must give reasonable explanations of the relations, which

he

has found, and he must interpret the lines of relationship in terms of the

underlying processes. (ii)

Extraneous information must be considered while interpretation the final

results of research study it may prove to be a key factor in understanding the problem under consideration. (iii)

It is advisable before reaching upon final interpretation to consult expert

someone, which will lead to a result in correct interpretation and thus will enhance the utility of research results. (iv)

Researcher must accomplish the task of interpretation only after

considering all relevant factors affecting the problem to avoid false generalization. Classification Most research studies result in a large volume of raw data which must be reduced into homogenous group, if we are to get meaningful relationships. This fact 60 | P a g e

necessitates classification of data which happens to be the process of arranging data in groups or classes on the basis of common characteristics. Data having common characteristics are placed in one class and in this way the entire data get divided into a number of groups or classes. When a mass of data has been assembled, it becomes necessary for the researcher to arrange the same in some kind of concise and logical order. This procedure is referred to as tabulation. Thus, tabulation is the process of summarizing raw data and displaying the same in compact form for further analysis. In a broader sense, tabulation is an orderly arrangement of data in columns and rows. Tabulation is essential because of the following reasons: 1.

It conserves space and reduces explanatory and descriptive statement to a

minimum. 2. It facilities the summation of items and the detection of errors and omissions. 3. It facilities the process of comparison. 4. It provides a basis for various statistical computations. .

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Table 4.1 Showing the Percentage of Socio-Demographic Variables of Working Women (N = 50) S.I. No.

Variables

Categories

% of Working Mothers

1.

2.

Age

Educational

25-30

10%

30-35

90%

Graduates

100%

Post- Graduates

0%

General

34%

OBC

22%

SC

14%

Level

3.

Castes

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4.

5.

Religion

Family Type

ST

30%

Hindus

52%

Muslim

36%

Christians

12%

Others

0%

Nuclear

88%

Joint

12%

Extended

0%

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Table 4.2 Showing the Percentage of Socio-Demographic Variables of Non -Working Women (N = 50) S.I. No.

Variables

Categories

% of Non Working Mothers

1.

2.

Age

Educational

25-30

20%

30-35

80%

Graduates

95%

Post- Graduates

5%

General

50%

OBC

20%

SC

15%

Level

3.

Castes

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4.

5.

Religion

Family Type

ST

15%

Hindus

70%

Muslim

20%

Christians

10%

Others

0%

Nuclear

90%

Joint

10%

Extended

0%

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Level of stress and anxiety among working women In order to find the level of stress of working women the total scores obtained were classified in to three categories namely: High, moderate and low.

Table-4.3: The percentage of women having high, moderate and low Levels of Stress Variable

Stress

Total

Levels

Percent

High

16

Moderate

68

Low

16 100.0

From the Table 4.3 it is found that16% of women were found to be having high level of stress, 68% of women had low level of stress and 16% women found to be moderate level of stress.

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Table 4.4: The percentage of women having high, moderate and low Level of Anxiety Variable

Anxiety

Total

Levels

Percent

High

14

Moderate

72

Low

14 100.0

From the Table 4.4 it is evident that 14% of them were having high level of anxiety, 72 percentage of women were found to be average women, 14% of them were showed low level of anxiety.

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Level of stress and anxiety among Non-working women In order to find the level of stress of Non-working women the total scores obtained were classified in to three categories namely: High, moderate and low. Table-4.5: The percentage of Non-women having high, moderate and low Levels of Stress Variable

Stress

Total

Levels

Percent

High

15

Moderate

75

Low

10 100.0

From the Table 4.5 it is found that15% of Non-women were found to be having high level of stress, 75% of Non-women had low level of stress and 10% Non-women found to be moderate level of stress.

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Table 4.6: The percentage of Non-women having high, moderate and low Level of Anxiety Variable

Anxiety

Total

Levels

Percent

High

20

Moderate

70

Low

10 100.0

From the Table 4.6 it is evident that 20% of them were having high level of anxiety, 70 percentage of Non-women were found to be average women, 10% of them were showed low level of anxiety.

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HYPOTHESIS TO BE TESTED There is a significant difference between the stress level of working and non-working women. Table 4.7: Significant difference between the stress level of working and nonworking women N

Working Mother

50

Nonworking Mother

50

Mean

21.40

SD

t

sig

2.767 3.596

20.43

df

98

0.01

3.011

From the Table 4.7 it is found that the obtained value of t (3.596) is higher than the table value of ‗t at 0.01 (2.57) levels. Hence the hypothesis 1 is accepted. This shows that there is a significant difference between the stress level of working and non working women.

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There is significant difference in the level of anxiety among working and nonworkingwomen. Table 4.8: Significant difference between the anxiety among working and nonworking women N

Mean

Working Mother

50

11.02

Nonworking Mother

50

SD

t

sig

3.02 2.99

15.23

df

98

0.01

2.97

From the Table 4.8 it is found that the obtained value of t (2.99) is higher than the table value of ‗t at 0.01 (2.57) levels. Hence the hypothesis 2 is accepted. This shows that there is a significant difference between the anxiety among working and non working women.

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There is significant relationship between stress level and anxiety among working and non working women There is significant relationship between stress level and anxiety among working women Table 4.9 Relationship between stress level and anxiety among working women. Variable

N

r

Significance

50

0.223

0.00

Stress & Anxiety

From the Table 4.8 it is evident that ‗r‘ value of stress & anxiety is 0.223 In the other words correlation stress level and anxiety among working women. It is found that the ‗r‘ value is (0.223) is significant. Hence hypothesis accepted. This shows that there is a significant relationship between stress level and anxiety among working women

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There is a significant relationship between stress level and anxiety among non-working women Table 4.10 Relationship between stress level and anxiety among non-working women

Variable

N

r

Significance

0.182

0.00

Stress & Anxiety

50

From the Table 4.9 it is evident that ‗r‘ (0.182) value is significant. Hence hypothesis is accepted. In the other words stress level and anxiety among non-working women was found to be positively related.

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CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS & SUGGESTIONS

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SUMMARY Women play a pivotal role in the decision making process of organisations and within the family. Indian culture bestows on women the role of caretaker of the family. Women are increasingly moving out of their homes and into the work environment. A greater number of women are also entering the workforce of restricted industries. The economic pressures of inflation, influence of the women’s movement and the psychological need to develop one’s self identity are encouraging the women to take a more active role outside the home to pursue full time career. This shift from private to public domain gives an impression that woman that finally liberated from shackles of patriarchal norms. However, closer look at the scenario makes us realize that working women face new set of problems involving both job and family. An overview of` the survey of Literature reveals that so for no serious effort has been undertaken to study on stress, anxiety on mental health among working women. Therefore, the investigator feels it important to conduct a research on impact of stress, anxiety on mental health of working women. Evaluative research technique of Descriptive Research was employed to carry out this piece of research work. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 1. To compare the level of stress among working and non-workingwomen. 2. To compare the level of anxiety among working and non-working women. 3. To study the relationship between stress level and anxiety among working and non working women

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HYPOTHESES OF THE STUDY H01. There is a significant difference between the stress level of working and nonworking women. H02.There is a significant difference in the level of anxiety among working and nonworkingwomen. H02. There is a significant relationship between stress level and anxiety among working an non working women. POPULATION In the present study, the population refers to working women in Gurgaon. SAMPLE In the present study, the population refers to working and non-Working women in Gurgaon. For the present study, 50 working women and 50, non-working under the age group of 25-35 years in Gurgaon was constitute the sample. The sample was selected based on purposive sampling technique. TOOLS USED FOR DATA COLLECTION Stress scale For the measurement of stress level of SS stress scale were used. It is constructed by Dr. M. Singh (2002). It is verbal test. State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) Maternal state and trait anxiety will be measured using Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) Spielberger et al., (1970) is a reliable and valid tool that has been used with both clinical and non-clinical populations.

76 | P a g e

MAJOR FINDINGS 

It is found that16% of women were found to be having high level of stress, 68% of women had low level of stress and 16% women found to be moderate level of



stress. It is evident that 14% of them were having high level of anxiety, 72 percentage of women were found to be average women, 14% of them were showed low level of



anxiety. It is found that15% of Non-women were found to be having high level of stress, 75% of Non-women had low level of stress and 10% Non-women found to be



moderate level of stress. It is evident that 20% of them were having high level of anxiety, 70 percentage of Non-women were found to be average women, 10% of them were showed low



level of anxiety. It is found that the obtained value of t (3.596) is higher than the table value of ‗t at 0.01 (2.57) levels. Hence the hypothesis 1 is accepted. This shows that there is a significant difference between the stress level of working and non working



women. It is found that the obtained value of t (2.99) is higher than the table value of ‗t at 0.01 (2.57) levels. Hence the hypothesis 2 is accepted. This shows that there is a significant difference between the anxiety among working and non working women.



The‗r‘ value of stress & anxiety is 0.223 In the other words correlation stress level and anxiety among working women. This shows that there is a significant relationship between stress level and anxiety among working women



The r value (0.182) value is significant. In the other words stress level and anxiety among non-working women was found to be positively related. 77 | P a g e

CONCLUSION The role of women in the society is constantly questioned and for centuries, women have struggled to find their place in a predominantly male-oriented world. Literature provides a porthole into the lives, thoughts and actions of women during certain periods of time in a fictitious form, yet often truthful in many ways. Woman has a great part to play in the progress of our country, as the mental and physical contact of women with life is much more lasting and comprehensive than that of men. In the apron-string of women is hidden the revolutionary energy, which can establish paradise on this earth. Woman is the magnificent creation of God, a multi-faceted personality with the power of benevolence, adjustability, integrity and tolerance. She is a companion of man, gifted with equal mental faculty, a protector and a provider, the embodiment of love and affection. The role specified to women in a society is a measuring bar and it is a true index of its civilization and cultural attainment. The study revealed that there is a significant difference between the stress level and anxiety of working and non-working women. Similarly there is a positive relationship between stress level and anxiety among working and non-working women.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH STUDY 1.

This type of research can also be extended to all the states of India, so that a clear

picture about the working women may emerge. 78 | P a g e

2. Further research can be conducted to increase the applicability of the present research and provide useful knowledge and interventions for daily life-problems. 3. Increase in the sample size and variability in sample inclusion criteria may be helpful in increasing the reliability of research. 4. Studies may also be extended to other professions to give better understanding of the position of working women in general. 5.

A more detailed study into the problems of working women in independent

occupations may also be undertaken. 6.

Similar family studies may also be useful to learn about the 'coping mechanisms

adopted in 'dual-career families' to make it a success. 7. A study may be undertaken to include the uneducated employed mothers.

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APPENDIX QUESTIONNAIRES

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QUESTIONNAIRE — I

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