Wives' work and psychological well-being: An extension of gove's social role theory of depression

The effectiveness of social role theory in explaining the relationship between wives' work (inside and outside the home) and psychological well-being is examined in reference to existing empirical patterns and alternative explanations. The theory is extended by the reorientation of its assumptions around central concepts and premises of the rational choice and social exchange framework: rewards, costs, cost reduction, alternative sources of gratification, and subjective evaluation of behavioral outcomes. Several mediating factors are integrated into the revised theory: help with housework and child care, work satisfaction, and participation in voluntary associations and social networks. The explanatory utility of the additional causal links proposed in the expanded theory is explored in a comparison of 50 employed wives and 50 housewives, all of whom have at least one preschool child living at home. The validity of the revised propositions is supported by the findings, which reveal no significant difference between the employed wives and the housewives in depression, health anxiety, or life satisfaction.