Stress and Mental Health Issues: An Age Related Study among Women Employees

INTRODUCTION

Stress and its effect, have been central topics of interest of researchers, since stress is worldwide phenomenon, seen across all areas of life and among all age groups. Stress has both harmful physical and emotional responses. Health psychologists believe that daily life actually involves a series of repeated sequences of perceiving a threat, considering ways to cope with it, and ultimately adapting to it .Due to changes in society many women prefer working since then can contribute economically to their family. Women still have to perform their traditional role or a duty at home which in turn increases the stress, balancing the responsibilities at work and home is making women more stressed and has an impact on their mental health. The present study aims to study the effect of aging process on perception of stress and their mental health. Keeping above points in the view the present study was undertaken to assess stress and mental health issues: an age related study among women employees

METHODOLOGY

Problem: To assess the stress and mental health among women employees.

• To assess the occupational stress of women employees among different age group. • To assess the personal stress of women employees among different age group. • To assess the mental health of women employees among different age group.

• ―There is no significant difference in occupational stress of women employees among different age group‖ • ―There is no significant difference in personal stress of women employees among different age group‖ • ―There is no significant difference in mental health of women employees among different age group‖

feel at work. Or personal life issues. • Mental Health: A State of happiness and ability to use their potentials fully. • Women employees: The women who are working for pay. • The age range of the subject between 22 to 50 years.

• Independent variable: AGE • Dependent Variable: Level of Stress, Mental Health

• Occupational stress index developed by A. K. Srivastava and A.P Singh • Singh’s personal stress source inventory developed by Arun Kumar Singh (2004) • Employee Mental Health Inventory-DR. Jagdish (2001) • Norms and scoring key.

• The total Sample consisted of 300 women employees the age ranges between 25 to 50 years. • Sample consisted of 300 women who are working in multinational companies like Siemens. public sector organizations like Nimhans in private sector organizations like Aon • The consisted middle order ranking.

• From the above table-1 we observe that the women employees age ranging from 22-35 years have a mean score of 137.8 and SD 17.1, and women employees age ranging from 36-50 years have a mean score of 139.7 and SD 15.7 on occupational stress index which is interpreted as having moderate occupational stress. The obtained t value is .77 which is not significant. Indicates that there is no significant difference in the level of stress between women employees age range from 22-35 and 36-50 years. The obtained results are in accordance to the Hypothesis-1which states ―There is no significant difference in occupational stress of women employees among different age group‖ • From the above table-2 we observe that the women employees age ranging from 22-35 years have a mean score of 71.5 and SD 12.7, and women employees age ranging from 36-50 years have a mean score of 69.7 and SD 9.5 on s Singh’s personal stress source inventory .which is interpreted as having moderate personal stress. The obtained t value is -1.04 which is not significant. Indicates that there is significant difference in personal stress between women employees age range from 22-35 and 36-50 years. The obtained results are in accordance to the Hypothesis -2 which states ―There is no significant difference in personal stress of women employees among different age group‖ • From the above table-3 we observe that the women employees age ranging from 22-35 years have a mean score of 11.0 and SD 2.9, and women employees age ranging from 36-50 years have a mean score of 11.6 and SD 3.1 which is prevalent among all age group. • Hence there is a very urgent need for psychological intervention for women employees’, and present study .since they need to perform multiple roles and the challenge of maintaining the work-life balance. Since the occupational stress might affect their personal life’s, and stress negatively affects their health, Adjustment and welling being. The company rules and policies change definitely affect their mental health .All of us spent about 1/3rd of our time and life in organizations/at work, the work stress must be minimal and learn the techniques to manage stress.

1. Stress exists among all age group women employees. 2. The company rules and policies change definitely affect their mental health. 3. Age effect their perception, coping with stress.

• The study was done only on women. • Assess only occupational stress • Assess only personal stress

• Assess other sources of stress • Assess various components of mental health.

John W. (2006). Antrock Essentials 2, II Edition (updated) 2006, Tata McGraw Hill Publication. John W Newstrom: Organisational Behaviour-Human Behaviour at Work Twelfth Edition Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company limited. New Delhi. Saundra K. Ciccarelli and Glenn E Meyer: Psychology, South Asian Edition, Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Research Scholar, Department of Psychology, Bangalore University, Bengaluru