The Relationship of Socio-Economic, Residential Characteristics, Values, and Social Networks to Stress among Low-Income Family Wives

도시 저소득층 가족의 제특성과 주부의 스트레스와의 관계

This study investigated first, socio-economic, residential characteristics, and values for future life among low-income family wives. Second, the relationship of these characteristics to the wives' stress was examined. The subjects were 249 mothers of urban low-income families whose children attended one of 20 daycare centers located in poor residential areas. The instruments included Social Network Scale, Home Stress Scale, and Occupation Stress Scale. Data were analyzed by means, standard deviations, frequencies, paired t-tests, and the stepwise multiple regressions. We found that a majority of the mothers and their husbands had high school educational status and simple labor or sales/service work status. They lived in rental houses or apartments. Their families of origin were a major source of emotional supports. Insufficient income for non-employed wives, long work hours and lack of free time for employed wives were a major stress. Levels of the wives' home-related job-related stress were negatively related to their own and their hudsbands' work status.