Role Strain captures the stress or tension that may arise from the performance of a role. Gender role strain in men has been identified as the failure to fulfill male role expectations, the traumatic fulfillment of these expectations, and their negative consequences. Role Strain occurs when a student is torn between the obligations of his school, obligations towards parents, and obligations towards his job. Women in prison will experience less role strain if they are allowed to engage in mothering activities rather than simply maintaining this prescribed status. Role ambiguity is a type of role strain that occurs when shared specifications set for an expected role are insufficient to tell the involved individual what is desired and how to do it.
Role Theory includes Role Strain, Role Playing, Role Distancing, Role-Taking, and Role Convergence. One posited cause of gender role strain is the early gender role socialization process that occurs often within the family context. Stress that is unresolved can lead to dissatisfaction which can lead to increased role strain.
Illness or stress often affects both the patient and his partner/family members. Family members may experience physical, emotional, social, and financial problems due to caring for a loved one.
What happens when you experience Partner Role Strain?
You may be overwhelmed by daily tasks.
You may be dissatisfied with your ability to perform caregiving tasks, routine tasks, or
your relationship with your partner.
What causes Partner Role Strain?
Partner role strain results when stress temporarily outweighs Your ability to cope.
How can I cope with Partner Role Strain?
Make a list of all of your obligations, including children, outside employment, clubs or
groups, and your additional caregiving tasks.
Try to give up as many tasks or competing roles as you can, if even for a few days or
weeks.
What can family or significant others do to help
with Partner Role Strain?
Tell your family or significant other exactly what you need help with and ask them for it.
How can I talk with my partner about my role
strain?
Identify what you need help with or changed.
Brainstorm with your partner possible solutions.
Role Strain and Incarcerated Mothers: Understanding the Process of Mothering. Abstract: The study was to examine a variety of variables associated with being a mother in prison to determine whether these factors affected the maternal role strain of incarcerated women. The findings suggest that women in prison experience high levels of role strain as a whole. White women, women who had served longer sentences, women who had not lived with their children prior to incarceration, and women who did not approve of their children's custody arrangements were found to have significantly higher levels of role strain.
Separation in relation to gender role strain in men. William Joseph DeFranc. This study attempts to consolidate previous research in parental attachment, psychological separation, and men's gender role strain. Participants estimated their fathers' gender role strain on these measures. All five hypotheses that gender role strain is related to parental attachment and psychological separation were supported.