Sex Differences in Psychological Distress Among Married People

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Abstract
This study examines the influence of various factors, including role responsibilities and satisfaction, on depressive mood. Various competing hypotheses concerning the factors related to depression are explored using data from a study of psychological distress in a representative sample of a midwestern community (N = 1,026). Although women reported more distress than men, the largest difference among married people was between employed married men and housewives. Employed married women experienced slightly less distress than housewives, but having minor children in the household was especially stressful for these women and counteracted the advantage of employment. The effects of children in the household on distress were strongest among working women with lower family incomes. These data support the hypothesis that the strain of working and doing the majority of the work associated with raising children increases distress among married women.

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