Employment and psychological well-being in Mexican American women

Although the effects of paid employment on the psychological well-being of women has been the subject of considerable research interest, few studies have been conducted with Mexican American women. While we failed to find any additive effects of work on distress for married Mexican American women, employment outside the home appeared to be beneficial for divorced and separated women. Four nonwork factors that might mediate the effects of work on distress were examined: sex-role orientations, help with child care, help with housework and the presence of young children at home. Of these, help with housework and sex role orientations were important determinants of how married women reacted to paid employment, while having young children at home emerged as an important factor among divorced and separated women.