Change in the centrality of women's multiple roles: effects of role stress and rewards.

OBJECTIVES To examine (a) change versus stability over one year in four social roles occupied by 182 midlife women (parent care provider, mother, wife and employee), (b) increases in role stress and increases in role rewards as predictors of change in centrality, and (c) whether increases in stress or increases in rewards were stronger predictors when the 2 were considered simultaneously. METHOD Interviews were conducted at 2 time points approximately 1 year apart. Participants were asked to rate the personal importance of each role on a scale of 1 to 10. Stress and rewards in each role were also assessed. RESULTS Analyses revealed considerable change in role centrality, especially in the parent-care and employee roles. Increases in wife and employee stress were associated with decreases in the centrality of these roles, whereas increases in rewards in each of the four roles were related to increases in the centrality of the respective roles. When considered simultaneously, role rewards were stronger predictors of change in centrality than role stress. DISCUSSION These findings suggest that the centrality of a social role can change over time in response to stressful and rewarding role experiences.