Introduction Change is the essence of progress and development with in any society.

The status of women in the Indian society is in a process of change. The women are now able to lead a more independent lifestyle and have more options open to them than in the traditional society of the past years. At that time they were totally dependent and have similar life style. But now the field is open and they are trying to be independent and this causes a big change in their life style and role of daily life. This opening of the system has lead to a temporary state of imbalance where the role expectations from women and their pattern of socialization is still at times, governed of by the old codes of conduct even though they have newer fields open to them. They are joining all the field as medial, engineering, management, educational field, forces etc. Since 1900 a new socio economic phenomenon has been developed; womens participation in out of house economic activities. This has caused fundamental changes in social, economical and cultural factors of the society. Women more and more were involved in activities outside house and fields. Governments has finished forbidding sex discrimination in lows and working place, women were provided with more job opportunities. In fact womens employment can be dated back to 100 years ago. Emphasizing the need for economic freedom for women, Pt. Nehru has rightly stated that freedom depends on economic conditions even more than political, and if woman is not economically free and self-earning, she will have to depend on the husband or someone else, and dependents are never free. Womens employment is one of the significant issues in society. Since women participated in the society, half of the societys population, otherwise passive, will become active and womens attitude towards growing up their children will change. Womens entry into economics is caused by a variety of factors having various effects which sometimes encourage and sometimes discourage women. The most influential factors included age structure of immigration, pregnancy rate, population growth, Socio- economic, political and cultural factors play a much more significant role than the demographic factors in womens employment. The major role of women, considering their nature and divine creation, is motherhood bringing up their children. On the other hand women, as half of the thinking force of the society, have the competency in cultural, political, educational and scientific fields. This is because womens are getting education and want to do something. Thus womens participation in social and culture activities is of high importance in order to help women themselves, family and society promote. Each of three different environments were women may get; i.e. working, middle class and professional settings,

involves a special network of different factors which in turn results in culture differences in employment environments . in fact, 74% of middle class of working women believe the employment is necessary for women. 14% of them believe it is an allowance for living expresses and only 3% recognize their wish to be independent as their maturation. On the other hand, in professional settings 85% of women as sets that this desire is their motive for working. Women get financial resources as a result of their employment and working outside their house and conquering new room in the society. This has changed the traditional organization and structure of the family and consequently requires forming a new kind of balance in the house. Women of different social classes cannot have a common motivation to get a job outside home. Some with low levels of education and expertise simply want to get employed in order to solve financial problems of the family. Hence they cannot choose their job, accordingly, this leads to job dissatisfaction, lack of cultural efficiency and personality growth. Social and family activities in accordance with the nature and capacity of men and women can be of highly fruitful but what should be taken into consideration regarding the womens employments outside their houses and their different family roles in this fact that such employment should, have no threat and damage for rearing children, of course, this does not mean that in traditional distribution of family duties between couples within the house, mens crucial participation in rearing children is ignored. Evidently, due to womens nature, their creation and their better ability to communicate emotionally with the children, this heavy responsibility is usually assigned to women rather than men. In the present society there are two groups of women are found to be as working women and non-working women. Working women are those who have a salaried jobs and work out of their houses, where as non- working womens are those who are not gainful employed and are totally involved in the house hold jobs. Most societies describe and encourage the role of child bearer and rarer for the women and disapprove alternative roles such as gainful employment outside the home (Blake, 1969). Both employed and unemployed women play a significant role in household activities of their families. There life is more family centered than of men. The happiness of a family to great extent depends upon her. Women fulfill their duties and responsibilities sincerely in their outside profession. The double work pressure creates frustration, stress and many other problems. Working women have wide area of interaction. They learn new things daily and share there problem to friends and they suggest solution to her but a nonworking women have a small interaction area. They spend their minimum time in the four wall of houses. This situation is different from working women. There are two views of the status of women in India. One is the classical text view and the other is empirical view. The empirical view of the contemporary role and status of women

has been emphasized widely, but since many of the contemporary , attitudes towards the status of women are rooted in the past a brief historical survey of the changing status of women becomes worth importance. The women in the contemporary society are in the process of acquiring a status position and role which is different from the earlier conception. The Indian society like a number of classical societies has been patriarchal and the ideal women are those who do not strived to breaks the bonds of control. A look into the history, however, shows that the situation was not always so. In the vedic age (2500 to 1500BC) women had considerable freedom to move about in the family and society and they took an intelligent part in public affairs. They were educated like boys. Marriage used to take place at the age of 16 and 17. They had effective voice in the selection of their life partners. Occasional accounts of love marriages are also found. In social and religious gathering they occupied a prominent position. Women had absolute equality in the eyes of religion. In the family status of wife and mother was an honored one. Ordinarily monogamy was the rule. Widow marriage was permitted but this was usually with in the family. But women could neither hold nor inherit family property. So in this culture woman had better status in terms of education, religion rights, freedoms of movement etc. In age of Brahmans(1500 to 500 BC) gradual changes in the status of women has started. According to Alteker (1958), girls who went through a course of education were commonly from the higher section of society in which some of the women attained distinction in the realm of theology, philosophy and a considerable number of them took up a teaching career. The age of marriage for girls continued to be about 16 and they had some voice in the selection of their life partners. Desai(1976) found that in ancient Indian, girls had equal right to undergo the Upanayana sanskar, and hence they had the eligibility to study the sacred vedic literature and participate in sacrificial ceremonies. Around the third century B.C., The Aryans marriage to non-Aryan women restricted the girls from studying the vedic literature. It was in the age Sutras and Epics (500 BC to 500 A.D.) that the status of women changed considerably. Certain force in society began to calmour for early marriage at 9 to 10 years of age. Girls education was discontinued and as such young brides ceased to have any voice in the choice of marriage partners. The dictum that a wife ought to respect her husband as a god even if he were vicious a drunkard and devoid of merit was accepted as applying to all women (Kapadia, 1958). The theory of perpetual tutelage of women was clearly formulated by Manu- the low- giver of Hindu society according to whom women was to depend on her father in childhood, on her husband in young age and on her sons in her old age. Thus she was

socialized and was expected to play the role of a person completely dependent on man with no opportunity to take decision on her own (Indra, 1955). The status of women continued to deteriorate during the age of Smritis (A.D. 500 to A.D 1800) and Muslim rule till they had almost no status in the society and none in their own estimation. Thus the position of women declined and there was over whelming concern for purity and honours. The mantle of which fell on women and they were closeted with in the four walls of home in the roles of wives and mother (Desai and Krisnaraj, 1987). When the Britishers obtained possession of our country. A small section of the India women was educated up to the modest requirements of household life. (mathur.1973). During the British rule legislation aimed at raising the status of women was passed owing to the pressures of various movements initiated by reformers like Ram Mohan Roy, Mahatama Gandhi, Vivekananda, Dayanand Saraswati, Annie Besent. The Indian National Congress and organization such as Womens Association founded by Sarojini Naidu, Arya Samaj, Ram Krishana Mission. The social reform movement of nineteenth century and national movement of twentieth century, both drew the women outside the home, initially to provide support in freedom struggle, but once drown outside the confines of the home this pattern continued for the women even in the post independent era. In this period education of women was encouraged, the age of marriage raised, employment for women was made feasible. The second world was also played a part in the emancipation of women. But this influence was almost entirely restricted to the women of urban middle class since industrialization and the mobilization of men is armed force created vacancies for women in factories and the profession (Promila Kapoor, 1970). Rai (1955) studied society and education in India and gave a comprehensive and coherent picture of social life in India during the period of 1813-1857. The study probed into the problem of caste, religion and social system, then prevalent in India. Education of women, abolition of sati tradition and widow marriage were also accounted for. The study revealed that Mr. May, a missionary has established a girls school even before 1815. There were several organizations and institution for the education of girls, but it was found that respectable Hindus were not prepared to send their daughters to the school without proper protection. In 1854 woods Despatch obenly advocated for female education. Although, the first was of independence in 1857, caused a set-back for the progress of girls education. In Bombay and other parts of south India, the Prejudice against female education begin disappearing rapidly, and it was found that the new race of men stated giving regard to women as equal partners in the great task of social and National reconstruction . During the British role (Nanda, 1976), legislation aimed at raising the status of women, but the real break through, however, come in the twentieth century. When Gandhi launched the Civil Disobedience Movement, and with unerring instinct asked the women to come out of their homes to take part in it, shoulder to shoulder with their men folk. Hence, by the end of the British rule, females were sharing the economic aspects of household and were engaged in many professions.

During the period from 1937 to 1947 the medium of education change from English to mother tongue and the number of schools for girls increased rapidly. The equal rights of women have been guaranted by Articles 15 and 16 in the Constitution of India. With the advent of Independence, the place of change in the role and status of women in India was greatly accelerated by the virtue of various Acts which forbade discrimination among citizens on the ground of sex. The number of new jobs, now available to women, is a significant achievement of the emerging new India. Today, womens economic horizon once limited to household charge and form lab our, has evident considerably. The status of urban middle class women has improved and the urge towards economic independence has been awakened. Economic necessity has led women to all types of employment, where their presence has been accepted by men. Women can claim all the rights and privileges of men. Urban women have entered higher education and are holding official position in various type of salaried jobs and acceptation. There was greatest stress on education and the number of women entering salaried remunerative occupations and professions has kept on increasing substantially.The census data for literacy rates from 1941 -2011 clearly shows that where on literacy rates for females recorded in year 1941 and 51 as low as 7.30 & 8.86. There was a steady increase in the following decates. The rates shot up to the levels of 15.35 in 1961, 21.97 in 1971, 29.76 in 1981,39.29 in 1991. A big increase was found in 2001 & the literacy rate of woman was 53.67 where as in 2011 census literacy rate of women is 65.46

Year Literacy role 1941 7.30 1951 8.86 1961 15.35 1971 21.97 1981 29.76 1991 39.29 2001 53.67 2011 65.46 Source: Census of India; 2011 The percentage of growth in enrolment of various levels of education also shows that during these year, the greater increase has been at the University level. In the service and professions the number of female works has been growing steadily though slowly of their professional. Women are mostly concentrated in the teaching profession. Commenting on the increasing trend of women entering into employment Moorthy, 1945 had commented that The increasing entry of our women into grainful occupation has

broken the old world viewed of division of labour. Man for the field and women for the hearth. It has called upon women to make physical and psychological adjustment doubtfully consistent with her dignity. Other authors however are less doubtful about the ability of the women to manage the two roles together. Montague (1954) writes for a married women to be grainful employed outside the home is in no way incompatible with her being a good wife. Millions of married working women constitute proof of the contrary. As result of changing values and attitudes of todays women to words careers more and more women are rejecting the traditional house wife role and are choosing careers (Mason el.al.1976). In the content of Indian situation Duke (1963) has pointed out that the traditional conception regarding the place and role of women are slowly changing in contemporary Indian society. Women in India are gradually getting more concerned about employment and profession and holding more positive attitudes towards employment and have a clears perception of the chosen occupation (Rao, 1976). The educated women now prefer occupation out of personal interest as a vocation and not as temporary measure. Even though initially women moved outside the home to strengthen the hands of men economically or politically. They now seek the employment not only as economic necessity but as a means of self- fulfillment. Kapur (1974), on the basis of her survey of 300 urban women had come to the conclusion that educated married women of urban India are impelled to get into employment or professions not only by economic insufficiency but also by various other, socio- psychological motivation(page13) . Kapur (1974) further states that educated urban women have now began to realize that job con raise their self esteem and self- confidence and can accomplish their sociopsychological security and freedom. The various studies and surveys as well as statistic show that educated women are now more can and desirous of utilizing their education and training then was the case previously. The employed women, thus, find themselves in a role which is non traditional and has till lately been played mostly by men. The role of the worker requires the presence of contain personality characteristic which are usually associated with masculine sex- role

identity man from the earlier age itself are encouraged to develop these characteristic while women are discouraged. Of course, women employment has positive as well as negative consequences explaind below. The positive consequences may include: 1. Decrease in population growth rate due to personal and social awareness of women. 2. Promotion of social awareness and insight resulting in womens developing selfconfidence and intellectual as well as spiritual autonomy. 3. Developing talents, positively asserting themselves, having high self- esteem and developing good personality meeting their spiritual needs. 4. Contributing to supply part of cost of living and its impact on improving the level of health and education. 5. Providing women with more social security in time of various crises when they are old since or disabled. 6. Promoting their management ability and paving the ground for apply it in their home and in basic family decisions. 7. Having the ability and power to solve the family problems. 8. Becausing more familier with different approaches to improve productivity and efficiency and trying to do so. The negative consequences may include: 1. Lacking matual understanding between husbands and wives regarding the scope of their duties and responsibilities. 2. Couples getting into and becoming sebsitive in home because of the pressure of their job. 3. Physical and spiritual fatigue due to extra efforts to meet family and societys expectations. 4. Lacking balance between job duties and their duties as mothers and as wives. 5. Having less opportunity to communicate with the family members especially with their young children Prevalent Sex Role expectation According to the theory that biology determines psychological traits and function. One may concluded that the womens primary role is that of child bearing, child rearing and home making. The physical scientists more than other have probably stressed the social differences that arise out of the physical characteristics of the two sexes. Thus studies tend to support the motion that women is physically the weaker sex because of which she has a more passive sex and social role (Overstreet, 1963; Maccoby, 1961; Douvan and Adelson, 1966; Dutton, 1965). But the services that women in various countries rendered during the

first and second world wars amply proved that they are able to do various kinds of work and have much more physical endurance and tolerance for hardship than was commonly believed. The psychologist from Havelack Ellis onward seen to have been less certain than the physical scientists about the relation between anatomical structure and social behaviors among the sociologists there seen to have been an implicit acceptance of some what distinct expectation of the two sex roles but there have not been enough studies of the actual differences or change in the sex roles. There are sociologist who have studied the effect of socio economic position of the family and of the position of siblings in the family on their sex roles (Kammeyer, 1967; O- Brim, 1965) Most societies describe and encourage the role of child bearer and rearer for the women and disapprove alternative roles such as gainful employment outside the home (Blake, 1969). To be successful in a profession characteristic like achievement motive , compltency, assertiveness, independence, analytical thinking , self-confidence, competitiveness , having initiative etc would be discrable but in a large number of research investigation it has been found that these very characters are not included within the acceptable role expectation from women. The 1958, Atkinson published an entire volume Motives in fantasy and society. And it included only one footnote about womens achievement that time. (Hor ner, 1969). The literature dialing with female role behavior suggests that women are expected to be sympathetic, humanitarian, compassionate, and dependent on one another (Tyler, 1965), non aggressive (Hilgard & Alkmson, 1967), having spiritual values, artistic inclination and concern for the welfare of others (Miner 1965) , conversely a behavioral orientation towards power , initiative and prestige in frequently viewed as more appropriate for males. The studies of Steinmann and Fox(1966): and Sheriff and Mckee(1967) point out that the stereotypes of male and female behavior in north American society are still rather distinct, and that these are reinforced by the mass media and by peers(Ellman. 1968, Riesman, Glazer and Danny, 1961 Coleman, 1961). The studies of Hartley (1961), Moore and Riesman pointed out that the goals, ambitions, interest , believes and values of boys and girls are greatly influenced by their peer group who tend to reinforce the traditional views .

Ruddel (1982) found that women described themselves as less achievement oriented, less dominant and less autonomous that men but they scored higher on affiliation. Harm avoidance, nurturance, order and succorance. Bem (1974, 75) and Broverman, Vogel, Broverman, Clarkson and Rosen Krantz(1972)- Concluded that sex roles have revealed consistent expectation for different traits and behavior for men and women. Associated with feelings of dependency, helplessnes, passivity, over emotionality and subjectivity, femininity emphasized feeling as opposed to daing -Masculinity on the other hand is associated with independent action, aggressive tendencies, analytic thinking, and high motivation for achievement. Rosenkrantz and his colleagues (1968) found that competence and assertiveness are socially desirable traits for males where as warmth and expressiveness are considered to be desirable for female. Hoffman (1972) found that males achieve because of internalized motives to do well to strive for excellence. Female achieve, if at all, because of desire for affiliation and social approval. Brandt(1978) also suggests that movement away from traditional feminine role may be accompanied by a broadening of personality options and integration of both masculine and feminine traits. Rani(1975) studied role conflict in working women and conduced that the decision to take up a job, was found to be the desire to make use of higher or professional education. Broverman , vogel and Broverman et. al (1970) report that male valued stereotypic items reflect a competency cluster including attributes like being independent objective, active, competitive , logical skilled in business worldly, adventureous, able to make decisions, self-confident, always acting as a leader, ambititous. The female valued stereotypic items are characterize of by relative absence of there traits and consist of attributes such as gentle, sensitive to the feelings of others, tactful, religious, neat, quiet, interested in art and literature, able to express tender feelings. Man are stereotypically perceived as lacking in these characteristics. The earlier socialization of a woman and the process of development of the sex role identity would be expected to instill personality characteristics consonant with the female sex- role identify with in the women. In the Indian society, the dichotomy between the female and male sex- role identity is still quite clear out. Under those circumstance when women enter the worker role then the possibility exists that they may find the demands of the role not in consonance with their sex- role identity.

Gove (1972) and Gove and Tudor (1973) also suggested that change in female role have promoted conflicting and contradictory normative beliefs about the womens role, resulting the greater psychological strain. According to the role theorists like Newcomb (1965) a persons attitudes are influenced by the role he occupies in a social system, with this changed- role of women, it is inevitable that her ways of feeling, thinking, looking at things, welling and of doing things should also be affected. In India the womens participation and achievements in extra familiar activities and spheres, especially after Independence, has proved that psychological traits and their concomitance behavior patterns are developed by the socialization patterns, environmental stimulus and opportunities given to them. New opportunities for education and employment, the emergence of new socioeconomic pattern and privilege of new and equal legal and political rights to women, are slowly changing the traditional conception of the role and status of women in contemporary Indian society . Dubey (1963) and Kapur (1960) indicated in their studies that attitude of the educated women have certainly undergone a considerable change regarding their role and status in society. In the consideration of the etiology of mental illness many factors have been suggested; however; a specific etiologic determinant has not been isolated. Of the many determinants, which have been considered, family pathology has been suggested form time to time to be important. A new approach had been developed , which broadens the focus of investigation to include the entire family in order to understand the developments of mental illness or mental health. Lidzetal ,(1956) ; Hill, (1955); Wynne, (1985) have reported that parental pathological patterns of interpersonal relationship in the family are of etiological significance in the development of schizophrenia. Wolman (1963) has suggested a socio- psychosomatic theory which also stresses family interactional patterns in the development of mental illness. From a sociological point of view social role are among the most important object that are internalized in the course of socialization. The patterns of socialization are considerably induced by the value system and religious ethos prevent in a particular society at a particular of time. Since in the ultimate analysis of womens internalized role and status will be determined by the attitudes and behavioral patterns of the other members of society towards her and by her own self- image which will be created in her by them . It is this empirical view of her role and status that is vital for the understanding her role and status, in the family and in society as well(Harry, 1966). Hate(1970) in his study of Changing status of women in post- independence India, quoted, as per statistical and case data available, which are by and large from urban centers, one can say that in principle women has the status of equality but in day to day life

she is still away from the ideal, especially in the lower middle and lower social streta . There is still a large gap between the legal rights and the social attitudes and beliefs which come in the way of actual emancipation of women. Inspite of the formal equality which she enjoys, the tradional view of the role and status of women in society still largely prevails. Thought the oreticlly women is recognized as the socialy equal of man, the institution of caste and the patriarchal family, religious more and the dominant value systems as still surcharged with the spirit of male dominance. Kapur(1970) pointed out that the findings of her study of working women exemplify the actual role and relationship of middle class educated working women with reference to their changing status. This empirical study is conformed to middle class educated working women, specially to the working women of urban areas who may not present a truly representative picture of India, yet they do indicate broad national trend. The attitude towards working married women has changed considerably. It has been found that it is no longer considered derogatory for the wife or daughter- in law of a middle class or even upper class to hold a job. Even the elderly women of the family want their daughter in law to take up gainful employment. In may study, 86 percents of the husbands of working wives want their wives to work an at least do not mind them doing so. This is mainly and almost exclusively for the financial gain to the family. While attitude towards wifes or daughter in-laws employment as such has changed, the attitude of the husband and of the in-lows towards her role and relationship in the family and towards her status her rights and privileges hence remained comparatively unchanged. In many study it was found that if the employed wife demands the assistance of her husband and in-lows in the performance of household duties , feeling that by virtue of being a working wife she could legitimately claim to have such assistance , she is accused of being vain, impertinent, inefficient and not a good wife and daughter-in-law . Marital mal adjustment resulted when working women, who had to carry out household chores along with their jobs and who needed and expected help from their husbands, did not receive husbands assistance in carrying out these responsibilities. (Kapur, 1970). Garcia (1985) compared women possessing non-traditional careers in selected professional schools of law, medicine, engineering and management with a second sample of women, enrolled in more traditional graduate programmes of home science, economics, nursing, education library science,. Women is nontraditional careers had higher levels of mastery and competitiveness, higher levels of masculine traits, lower level of feminine traits and higher levels of social competence, self-esteem than women pursing traditional careers. Conflicting situation of husband and working wife proves detrimental to marital harmony is seen from the fact that 84 percent employed wives who had exceptions form

their husbands denial in sharing the household responsibilities were found to be maladjusted in their married life . The husbands attitude towards his employed wifes status or rights in the family with respect to her privilege is also a source of tension, marital frustration and ill mental health. The working wife experiences marital frustration and disappointment if the members of her role set do not simultaneously make necessary modifications in their expectations (Kapur, 1970). Verma (1986) concluded that the children of working mother were less affected in respect of emotional stability more egoistic feeling relation with other children and more unusual behaviour than that of the children of non working mothers. Venkataramana ( 1987) referred that the impact of traditional womens professions (officers, Doctors) on the personality trail and parent child interaction of 197 working and non -working Indian women compared to house wives the employed mothers parent child interaction were concluded to be significantly more positive and effective. Singh and Sharma (1976) compared working and non working women (N- 892) of Patana (Bihar) for their child rearing practices. It was revealed that more educated working and non- working women display higher degree of acceptance, independence and reward whereas less equated women expressed dependence and punishment to a greater degree. Working and non- working women differed significantly on reward punishment dimension. However working and non working women of all categories were found to be similar with respect to dimensions of acceptance, rejection and independence dependence. In 1971 census , the concept of main activity introduced explicity and every persons was asked what his/her main activity was that is how he or she engaged himself mostly . The main activity reported by the person entitled him to be categorized either as a worker or a non worker. Then every person both worker and non worker was asked about his secondary activity. The introduction of the concept main activity affected to a considerable expend the employment status of women as the preferred to be categorised as house wives and their secondary activity was not seriously analysed. The introduction of the concept of main activity made inter- census comparison of data still more difficult. It has been realized that studies of the problems related to women have not been given adequate attention. Attempts have been made to study, the psychological dimensions of women development. It is aften advocated that in order to bring women to equal status with man economic independence of women is necessary. As a result women are being provided with various jobs in the society. The number of working women is gradually increasing.

Theoretical Approaches In context to the womens work behaviors two approaches described by Kanter(1975) and Stromberg and Harkess.S. (1978) are (1) Socialization hypothesis and (ii) Social structure approach. These theoretical explanations have not been followed up by systematic research and hence explorations in the field are lacking. Socialization Hypothesis This hypothesis focuses on the family centered roles of women. The women from the earlier age are socialized to play the family centered roles like daughter, sister, wife and mother. This socialization pattern lays a great stress on the fact that women have a primary commitment to these family roles and work or career can only be a second importance. Family and work are considered to be separate institutions that make competing demands on women. Since, women are socialized to give priority to family role hence, their work related behaviour is also affected. They may scale down their achievement and aspirations is order to avoid competing with potential mater (Komarovsky, 1946); or to for ego demanding occupations in the interest of motherhood and marriage (Simpson and Simpson, 1961) Horners (1968) concept of fear of success also propagates the same line of argument that women may hide or lower their achievement for fear of being considered deviant from the prevalent sex- role related behaviour even in work situation like submissiveness, lack of autonomy, dominance or aggressive behaviours. Hence whenever work completes with prevalent sex- role identity and family responsibilities accommodation are made in favours of the family and the sex- role identity. The women who do not marry can escape the constrains of the family role hence, they can perform with greater freedom in the worker role. They are freer to exhibit characteristic which may be different from their sex role identity and consonant with the works identity. They can more easily manifest some of the masculine characters which are associated with the worker role. It would appear that on the basis of the socialization hypothesis the married women irrespective of their career status are likely to be more similar and different from career women who have remained single. Social Structural Approach This approach explains womens work behaviour and consciousness on the besis of their work position. This approach posits that family and work situation are social structure in which person act and behave according to the structure demands. If women

appear to be exhibiting behaviours like denying presence of aspiration or need for achievement, it may be not because of their earlier socialization or sex-role identity but due to their positions within the social structure. Working women when moving out of the boundaries of home, enter those area of activity which are man dominated. Most of the women are concentrated with in certain female type occupation, these occupation have secondary position( Graim and Stern, 1978.) They are characterized by limited opportunities and power (Kanter, 1975). Womens occupations are subordinate to male ones and women accommodate to their subordination by manifesting characteristics which would meet the circumstances. Their behaviour is that of powerless and opportunity less people. Even men may behave in similar fashion if they find themselves in similar position with in social structures. Thus in the social structural view the womens work behavior reflects their work situation and not latent sex- identity or a competing commitment to family roles. This structural explanation is consistent with writing as diverse as those of Morx, Mannheim, Gerth and Mills and symbolic interactionists. The social structural hypothesis implies that women have high worker consciousness and express it when situation are relevant to their work interest. According to this approach we should find working women irrespective of their marital status to be similar. Since both are in a situation which demands a reflection of their worker identity. They both would be expected to differ from the house wives who are only playing the family role and are not force with the situation requiring the manifestation of a worker identity. Research is needed in order to ascertain the comparative merits of the two theoretical approach and the present study is an attempt to fill this lacuna. In context to the employed women the most important aspect of the personality to be investigated appears to be their self-esteem aspiration, adjustment, mental health. It seems essential to explore the differences between working and non -working women at some points such as selfesteem, adjustment patterns, personality factors etc. Another aspect of relevant was coincident to be self- eastern as earlier sociological studies have pointed out that women may seek the employed station enhance their selfesteem. Personality People continue to grow and change throughout their lives. Successful adjustment thorough the life cycle in, after all, mostly a matter of flexibly adopting to the changing

demands opportunities and limitations associated with different stages of life. Nevertheless, a persons broadly characteristic, traits, coping styles and ways of interacting in the social environment emerge during childhood and normally crystallize into established patterns by the end of adolescence or early adulthood. This patterns constitute the individuals personality- the unique patterns of traits and behaviors that characterize the individual. Personality is the particular combination of emotional, attitudinal and behavioral response patterns of an individual . personality is the supreme realization of the innate idiosyncrasy of o living being. Personality can be defined as a dynamic organized set of characteristics possessed by a person that uniquely influences his or her cogritions, motivations and behaviors in various situations. Personality is made up of the characteristic pattern of thoughts, feelings and behaviors that make a person unique. In addition to this, personality arises from with in the individual and remains fairly consistent throughout life. Personality is a psychological construct , but research suggests that it is also influenced by biological processes and needs . it can also be seen in aur thoughts. Feelings, close relationships and other social interactions. Personality has been defined by different authors reflecting their view paints . According to Munn, Personality so the most characteristic integration of individuals structure, mone of his behavior, interest, attitudes capacities and abilities. Allport defined as. Personality as the dynamic organization within the individual of psychophysical system which determine his typical adjustment to his environment. According to catlell R.B. Personality is a prediction of what on individual will od in a given situation. To sum up it can be said that1- Personality is an organization of psycho-physical qualities. 2- Perso- is an integration of psycho physical system. Mental and physical traits influence each other that is reflected in the personality. There qualities are not static; they vary from person to person to suit environment. Hence personality is a dynamic organization. Each individual endeavors to adjust himself to environment suiting to her/ his personality. Hence ability of adjustment to environment varies with individual to individuals There is a new approach to study personality patterns that is known as big live factors model of personality. Block (1995) her criticized the five factor approach as. Being to global to be of much use in understanding actual behavior. Hough(1992) makes a similar argument, claiming the Big Five factors arte to broad to adequately predict important live outcomes or criteria. During more than five decades, psychological research has tried to find out why some people are more stressed

than others. This research has highlighted two major lines of explanation based on personality or social psychology. The personality explanation suggests that stress is caused by peoples personalities or personality related characteristics (Adorno, Frenkel-Brunswik, Levinson, & Sanford, 1950; Altemeyer, 1981; Ekehammar & Akrami, 2003). The social psychology explanation implies that stress is caused by peoples social group membership, social identity, social self-categorization, social position, and situational factors(e.g., Guimond, Dambrun,Michinov, & Duarte, 2003 ; Reynolds, Turner, Haslam, & Ryan, 2001). Within the personality approach, previous research suggests two major theoretical frameworks to explain individual differences in prejudice. One line originates from the authoritarian-personality theory(Adorno et.al. 1950), which is further developed in the theory of right-wing authoritarianism(RWA; Altemeyer, 1998). The other is social dominace theory (e.g.; Sidanius & Pratto, 1999) where the central individual difference variable is social dominance orientation (SDO). However, some recent research has questioned if RWA and SDO are personality variables at all. Rather, these critics suggest that RWA and SDO are measures of social attitudes, social beliefs, or social evaluations (e.g. Duckitt, Wagner, du Plesiss, & Birum, 2002; Krendler, 2005; Saucier, 200) and should be placed in the social psychology rather than the personality domain. On the other hand, our previous. Research suggests that RWA and SDO fall between personality and social psychology with distinct roots in core personality (e.g.; Akarami & Ekehammar, 2006b; Ekehammar, Akrami, Gylje, & Zakrisson,2004). What then, is the relationship between core personality on the on hand and stress on the other? Drawing on the distinction suggested by Asendorpf and Van Aken(2003), core personality traits are based on genetic differences and /or early childhood experiences, with limited susceptibility to social and contextual influences later in life. Surface traits, in contrast, are personality characteristics that are susceptible to social and environmental influences. The Five-Factor(Big Five) Model of Personality (McCrae & Costa, 1996, 1999) is probably the most widely accepted model of personality structure. It seems reasonable to classify these factors as core personality factors because of their substantial heritability coefficients and their early expression in temperament in human infants and in other animal species(e.g., Bouchard & Loehlin, 2001; Clark & Waston, 1999; Plomin & Caspi, 1999). Also they are likely to be causally prior to prejudice. This is in accord with the model of McCare and Costa(1996,1999), who classified the Big Five personality as basic tendencies positioned first in a causal chain. Further, McCare and Costa denoted various phenomena, such as attitudes, that are influenced both by basic tendencies and by contextual factors as Characteristic adaptations. In our case, we argue that SDO, RWA, and prejudice fall within this category. In recent years, the Five Factors Model of personality (neuroticiss, extroversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) has emerged as a

unifying framework for understanding the complete domain of normal personality (Digman, 1990; McCrae, 1992), and more research is appearing that explores the influence of these five general personality dimensions on Adjustment & self- eastern It also maintain that, within characteristic adaptations, SDO and RWA are prior to stress. Finally, objective biography is about the individuals action and behaviors and is positioned at the end of the causal chain. In the case , agrued that discrimination stemming from the individuals stress is observable behavior that fall within this category. The Mc Crae and Costa(1996) conceptualization has recently been further developed in a framework of fundamental principles for an integrative science of personality that has been put forward by McAdams and Pals (2006). This set of principles, labeled new Big Five by the authors, includes MccCrae and Costas basic tendencies as dispositional traits, within which the Big Five factors are placed, and characteristic adaptations, which agree with Mc Crae and Costas corresponding concepts. Whereas Allport(1954) regarded prejudice as personality factor by itself, we suggest that prejudice falls within the category of characteristic adaptations and can be explained by basic tendencies, such as the Big Five factors and facets. Recently, (Ekehammar & Akrami, 2003) examined the relation of the Big Five. Personality factors with generalized stress. The results showed that Openness ot Experience (denoted Openness in the following) and Agreeableness displayed rather strong correlation with generalized stress. Ekehammar et al.(2004) replicated this general picture using causal modeling . Also, in an unpublished study, MCFarland(2001) reported that these two Big Five factors displayed the larges correlation with his generalized prejudice measure. Finally, Flynn(2005)found significant correlation between Openness and various measures of racial stress. When using all Big Five factors for predicting generalized stress in a linear multiple regression analysis, we(Ekehammar & Akrami, 2003) arrived at a high predictive power(R5.56). Agreeableness and Openness displayed , as expected, the larges regression weights. Also, McFarland(2001) found that only Openness and Agreeableness made significant contributions to the regression equation, and the predictive power was comparable to ours. In conclusion, it seems that Agreeableness and Openness are those single Big Five factors that are most closely associated with prejudice. Because most trait models of personality are hierarchical (e.g. Paunonen,1998), with traits(facets)subsumed under factors(domains), there is always the question of which level to choose for the study of personality and its relations to other variables. Paunonen and coworkers9e.g., Paunonen, 1998; Paunonen & Ashton,2001; Paunonen, Haddock, Forsterling, & Keinonen, 2003; see also Mershon & Gorsuch, 1988) have made a strong case for suggesting the trait rather than the factor level for predicting, and understanding, various external behaviors and construct. According to Paunonen(1998), there is reliable specific

variance in most facets because the facets underlying a personality factor are obviously not perfectly correlated. The empirical results of Paunonen and coworkers have shown substantial benefits in using the fact rather than factor level when examining the relation of the Big Five factors with various external variables(see also Costa & McCrae, 1995, but see ones & Viswesvaram, 1996. Until recently, the field has lacked consensus regarding an overall, comprehensive theory of personality. The emergence of the Five Factor Model(FFM) over the past 10 to 15 years has provide a valuable paradigm from which to gain deeper understanding of important adaptational characteristics . Though there is still some disparity with regard to the comprehensiveness and conversely the succinctness of the model, there is no other model as well supported by research than the FFM(McCrae & John, 1992). The Five-Factor Model(FFM) consists of five broad domains and 30 lower-order facets that surface over decades of research and factor analysis (Cattel, 1943). Though debate ensues concerning the exact name of each domain(Loehlin, 1992), it is generally agreed that five is the true number of mutually exclusive domains. The five domain names used by Costa and McCae(1995) will be described for our purposes: Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. Extraversion : Extraversion ( also extroversion) is marked by pronounce engagement with the external world. Extraverts enjoy being with people, they are full of energy, and often experience positive emotions. They tend to be enthusiastic, action oriented individuals who are likely to say Yes . In group they like to talk, assert themselves and drow atlention to themselves. Introverts lack the exuberance, energy and activity levels of extraverts. They tend to be quiet, low-key, deliberate, and less dependent on the social world. There lack of social invaluement should not be interpreted as shyness or depresson, the introvert simply needless stimulation than on extravert more time alone to recharge their batteries Agreeableness Agreebleness relflects individual differences in concern with cooperation and social harmony. Agreeable individuals value getting along with others. They are therefore considerate friendly generous, helpful and willing to compromise their interests with others. Agreeable people also have an optimistic view of human nature . they believe people are basically honest , decent and trust worthy. Disagreeable individuals place self-interest above getting along with others. They are generally unconcerned with others well being and therefore they are unlikely to

extend themselves for other people. Sometimes their skepticism about others motives causes them to be suspicious, unfriendly and uncooperative. Agreeableness in obviously advantageous for attaining and maintaining popularity. Agreeable people are better liked them disagreeable people Agreeableness is not useful in situations that require tough or absolute objective decisions. Disagreeable people can make excellent scientists, critics or soldiers. Conscientiousness Conscientiousness concerns the way in which we control, regulate and direct our impulse. Impulse are not inherently bad, occasionally time constraints require a snap decisions and action on our first impulses can be on effective response. Impulsive individuals can be seen by others as colorful, fun-to-be- with and zany. Conscientiousness includes the factor known as need for achievement. Conscientious individuals avoid trouble and achieve high levels of success through purposeful planning and persistence. They are also positively regarded by others as intelligent and reliable. Can the negative side, they can be compulsive perfectionist and workaholic. Unconscientious people may be criticized for their unreliability, lack of ambition and failure to stay with in the lines, but they will experience many short-lived pleasures and they will never be called stuffy (i.e., dull, boring , unimaginative). Neuroticism Neuroticism , also known inversely as emotional stability, refers to the tendency to experience negative emotions. Those who score high on neuroticism may experience primarily one specific negative feeling such as anxiety, anger or depression but are likely to experience several of these emotions. People high in neuroticism are emotionally reactive. They respond emotionally to events that would not offect most people and their reactions tend to be more intense than normal they are more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening and minor frustrations as hopelessly difficult. Their negative emotional reactions tend to persist for unusually long period of time. At the other end of the scale, individuals who score low on this subscale are less easily upset and are less emotionally reactive. They tend to be calm, emotionally stable and free from persistent negative feeling. Openness Openness describes a dimension of personality that distinguishes imaginative, creative people from down to- earth; conventional people open people are intellectually, curious, appreciative of art and sensitive to beauty. They tend to be, compared to closed

people, more aware of their feelings. They therefore tend to hold unconventional and individualistic beliefs, although their actions may be conforming. People with low scores on openness tend to have narrow, common interests; they prefer the plain, straight forward and obvious over the complex, ambiguous, and subtle. Close people prefer familiarity over novelty; they are conservative and resistant to change. Neuroticism is best understood as individual differences in the tendency to experience distress (McCrae & John, 1992). Further, Neuroticism is ways in which a person thinks about and deals with problems and experiences that arise due to their susceptibility to unpleasant experiences. They definitions of Extraversion is historically not as parsimonious as that of Neuroticism, because Extraversion encompasses a broader them. They tendency toward social interaction and positive affect (Watson & Clark, 1997) is usually evident in a person who is highly extraverted. The next domain, openness to Experience, encompasses intellectual curiosity as well as other affinities that are not related to intellect; this domain has shown to describe a person who appreciates aesthetic value and who has a creative lifestyle (McCrae & John, 1992). Agreeableness is a domain that has often been associated with morality and the ability to get along with others (McCrae & John, 1992). An agreeable person would tend to work well in a group setting, because agreeableness is often expressed as persons tendency toward pro-social behavior (Graziano & Eisenberg, 1997). The final domain is conscientiousness. Conscientious persons are governed by conscious and diligent and thorough (McCrae & John, 1992, P.197). Further, Conscientiousness is often used to describe ones ability to be in command of their behavior; i.e., driven and goal oriented (Hogan & Ones, 1997). The FFM is strong in several respects. First, the model suggests that personality is related to temperament, and is not influenced by environmental factors (McCrae et al., 2000). Instead, the ways traits are expressed are affected by culture, developmental influences, and situational factors. For example, a persons personality can produce several different response patterns depending on the environment. Therefore, personality can be considered and enduring and relatively stable trait. Another research on the FFM shows that the five factors are legitimate in a crosscultural context (McCrae & Costa, 1987). McCrae and Costa showed that six different translations of their FFM-based personality test, the NEO-Pl-R, supported the validity of the previously described five factors, Moreover, the same five factors were evident and dominant in many different cultures that utilize extremely diverse linguistic patterns(1987). In a more recent study (McCrae et al., 2000) that investigated intrinsic maturation, Pan cultural age- related changes in personality profiles were evidenced. The implication is that as people in diverse cultures age, uniform changes in their personality profiles are observed. The emergent pattern showed that levels of Neuroticism, Extraversion, and

Openness to Experience decrease with age, and that levels of Agreeableness and Conscientiousness increase with age in many cultures (McCrae et. al., 2000). Gender differences in personality also seem to be cross-cultural. Williams, Satterwhite, and Best (1999) used data from 25 countries that had previously been used in the identification of gender stereotypes. A re-analysis of these data in the context of the FFM showed that the cross-cultural gender stereotype for females was higher on Agreeableness than it was for males, and the cross-cultural gender stereotype for males was higher than females on the other four domains. Though these data do not represent actual male and female responses on a personality inventory, it is remarkable that gender stereotypes along would relate so distinctly to the FFM. The FFM has amassed plenty of evidence that personality is pervasive, enduring, and basic, though individuals experience circumstances that cultivate certain abstract characteristics and promote particular outcomes, these tendencies and outcomes are derivatives of a diathesis that is create by personality traits (Costa & McCrae, 1992). Thus, it is practical to use personality to predict adaptation characteristics, such as coping ability. Adjustment Adjustment involves the gratification of a persons as governed by the demand of various environment situations. This is not however, a one way process. An individual maintains the balance between himself and his surrounding either by modifying his own behavior or by modifying the environment Shaffer (1961) stated that adjustment is the process by which a living organism maintains and balance between its needs and the circumstances that influences their needs. According to Baring (1966) Adjustment is a process by which a living organism maintains balance between its need and the circumstances that influence the satisfactions of needs. Adjustment is the establishment of a satisfactory relationship, a representing harmony. Conformance, adaptations or the like. A sequence of adjustment beigns when a need is felt and ends when it is satisfied. Adjustment is the interaction between a person and his environment. How one adjusts in a particular situation depends upon ones personal characteristics as the circumstance of the situation. So, both personal and environmental factors work side by side in adjustment. An individuals is adjusted if he is adjusted to himself and to his environment. Adjustment is all its meanings implies a satisfactory adaptation to the demands of day to-day life. So adjustment is a condition or state is which he belongs and he feels that his own needs have been , or will be fulfilled. Self Esteem In psychology self-Esteem (also called self-worth, self-confidence ,self-regard, selfintegrity & self-respect) is a persons overall self-appraisal of their worth. Self-esteem encompasses both beliefs and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride and shame. Self-

esteem is often related to behaviors. In the mid 1960 Morris Rosenberg and social learning theorists defined self-esteem in terms of a stable sense of personal worth or worthiness self-esteem can apply specifically to a particular dimension or have global extent. Psychologists usually regard self- esteem as an enduring personality characteristic (trait self-esteem), though normal, short-term variations (State self- esteem) also exits. According to American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, self- lone is the instinct or desire to promote ones well being.. Nathaniel Brandem (1969) defined self esteem as ------- the experience of being competent to cape with the basic challenges of life being worthy of happiness. According Branden. Self-esteem is the sum of self-confidence (a feeling of personal capacity) and self respect (a feeling of personal worth). It exists as a consequence of the implicit judgment, that every person does about on one side, his/her ability to face lifes challenges, that is, to understand and solve problems, and on the other side his right to achieve happiness, or , in other words , to respect and defend his own interests and needs .Branders descriptions of self-esteem includes the following primary properties. 1. Self- esteem as a basic human need, i.e. . It makes on essential contribution to the life process: in indispensable to normal and healthy self-development, and has value for survival. 2. Self esteem as on automatic and inevitable consequence of the sum of individuals choices in using their consciousness. 3. Something experienced as a part of or background to. All of the individuals thoughts. Feelings and actions.

AIMS AND IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY Over recent decades, there has been an enormous increase is the number of woman entering the Market. However appears that society still views women as the primary carriers of children and other family members and as a result, many women are now faced with juggling the role of mother partner and daughter as well as employee. Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, May I add that experience we have regard with appointment of women in our delegation to foreign countries as well as appointment made by united nations it self. I cannot think of a single instance , where the appointment has not Justified itself. I cannot however, think of many instances where the appointments of men has not been justified. Indian women have awakened their part slumber . They are not slaves of men now. The time has come when women must come out of their homes and take their post is public life. The best role they can play as working women and a good housewife and mother. As a dutiful mother, she can make her children happy, healthy and responsible citizens. As a house wife she is source of joy comfort and inspiration to her husband and as a working woman she work outside from the houses offices, banks etc. women are found as the real builders of our nation. Thus, the power of the nation is also in the hands of woman. While the term of non-working women is used for those women who are not gainfully employed and are totally involved in household jobs. The seventeenth century has been called the age of enlightenment, the eightieth, the age of reasons the nineteenth the age of progress and the twentieth the age of anxiety. Both groups of women play a significant role in house hold activities of their families. Their life is more family centered them that of men. The happiness of a family to a great extent depends upon her. Women fulfill their duties and responsibilities sincerely in their outside profession. The status of Indian women had wide spread misconceptions since ancient time. Sanskrit texts, like Sruti and Smriti, in which laws, customs and tradition are to be found which define the true status of women in early times. As matter of fact, the Rigveda contains the seeds and sources from which the entire course of Hindu though, through the ages has been derived and followed in so many streams. The Rigveda shows abundant evidence pointing to fact that women were fully the equals of men as regards the access to and capacity for the highest knowledge . Rigveda society was based on monogamy and was patriarchal. The marriage hymn points to the practice of the bridegroom going to the brides house, where he marries her and where , after the marriage, he conveys the bride to his own house. In that new home, she has an honoured place as mistress of the household, looking after her father-in-law, mother-in-law and her husbands brother and sister. The hymn also indicates that marriage was a sacrament and indissoluble, hence widows were not remarried. They look part with her husband in his religious ceremonies. If a girls parent died, her brother looked after

her. The institution of monogamy is it self eloquent recognition of the high social status of women.(Quoted in Women in Ancient India. Article R.K. Mookerji, Pages 1-10, 1959.) In the period of Muslim invasions the position of Indian women in northern India tends to deteriorate, in the period immediately following there was sufficient social integration which enabled Indian womanhood to retrieve some of the position which it has lost. In the area south of the Vindhyas the evolution of social life was more normal and consequently, in almost every field, South India produced women of note. The weakness of Indian womanhood during the period arose from the fact that there was no central direction to social thinking and there was no machinery like organized public opinion or giving effect to essential reforms. Social customs, therefore, undoubtedly tended to stagnate, a factor accelerated by the breakdown of settled government with the decline of mogul power. The advent of British marked an entirely new phase in Indian society. The old order had already undergone many changes under the blows of constant invasions and the conflicts that followed. But the British conquest of India paralysed the country both because of ruthless colonialism and because the new culture was so alien. The economic factor was perhaps most decisive. The destruction of hand industries struck the deadest blow. Large numbers of women lost their only means of livelihood, and were rendered destitute. When the old economic order was swept away , with it went the barter system, one of the mainstays of the titler and the artisan. Under these circumstances, the cultural collapse of Indian society was inevitable. Women has always been the repositories of culture and kept it alive in song dance and story through more than 200 years of British rule. The introduction of a new system of education through English created a wide gap between the few fortunate ones who could take advantage of it and the general masses to who it was denied. Nevertheless, the women of middle class began gradually to adjust themselves to this world , for they did not wish to remain for ever isolated and away from the main stream of national life. Slowly though in small numbers, women took to the new education. As for back as 1878, we find Indian girls studying in Universities and , a decade later, voyaging to for off countries, even America. Medicine and even law attracted women in the age. In 1888, for the first time an Indian women went abroad to study medicine, and for the first time one of them took the Bachelor of Civil Law course at Oxford in 1892. Provision for higher education was slow and halting, for it was not favoured by the conservative British , who were still imposing a great many restriction on women in their own country and naturally had no intention of promoting such progressive measures in their colonies. (Kamala Devi Chattopadhya, 1959).

The various socio- religious reform movements, such as the Araya Samoa and Brahama-Samaj, gave added impetus to this awaking of education in women. In this activity was obviously not the result of literary education. which was still very searce and show, but definitely a reflection of the moored of those times the mighty awakening that was seeping the country , infusing breath in to the deadened old limbs and stirring lethargy in to action. The first modern organization of women was started in 1917 by the great pioneering woman, Mrs. Margaret cousins, in Madras under the inspiration and leadership of that magnetic personality. Mrs. Annie Bescent, and her home rule movement, which was then a dynamic stream giving expression to the people restless urge for freedom. One of first venture was to led a women deputation to Mr. Montague, then secretary of state for India touring this country in 1919 to formulate political reforms to meet the rising demands of India. The First World War, then raging, had lent urgency to the situation; Indian women demanded the franchise and the right to participate in the political life of the country. The deputation was led by Sarojini Naidu. In the social field , women felt keenly the neglect of education by the then Government, and the indifference to social legislation, often vigorously opposed by the Government on grounds of neutrality. The political issue therefore began to press on every section of the people from all angles, as men and women felt thwarted at every step. It was daily growing on the people that independence was the pivot point, the fundamental necessity. Before it everything else pale in to insignificance. Without it there could be no progress for the country, hence little hope for women to achieve any thing in a big way. Swiftly the tide set in course towards polities, especially when the magnetic Mahatma Gandhi took the helm. The political leaders now had become convinced that the road to Indian independence did not lie through negotiation and discussion and the tortuous path of niggardly reforms, but through direct nation-wide action. Never perhaps since Buddha preached his message has any single individual swayed and transformed the destinies of so many millions as did Gandhi Ji, were its not for leadership, with its wide vision and practical sense, women in India would have had to plod the slow way to the heights they have now been able to attain. He not only respected women, but also valued them. He regarded them as general colleagues. He not only respected women, but also valued them. He regarded them as general colleagues. He had a place and a mission for each one. In his social concept here were no superiors or inferiors. In twentieth century Gandhi Ji launched the Civil Disobedience Movement and asked women to come out of their homes to take part in it. This is the starling of raising the status and position of women in Indian society as a independent personality.

Many women distinguished themselves in various roles during freedom struggle. Among them were Aruna Asaf Ali and Sucheta Kripalani, both of whom carried on as underground leaders and Usha Mehata of Bombay who ran an underground radio. When the transfer of power to Indian hands began in 1946 and the first Interim Government was setup at the center , it naturally include a women. Several women were also included in the constituent Assembly and made significant contributions to its deliberations. In 1947, when India finally became free , women began to come into their own. (Struggle for freedom written by Kamal Devi Chattopadhyay). Today large numbers of women hold important posts in the home as well as the civil and foreign services. Their rise to responsibility and positions of importance has been remarkable. Education is also improving in proportion to the demand, for some state has yet to make adequate provision. The number of women in public life, must, therefore, be small compared with the population. But it is encouraging as compared with the number of educated women. What has also been remarkable in the very natural manner in which women have been able to find their place. This has not been marred by ugly and unseemly fights and struggles, violence and hate. Indeed, this smooth evolution has been in keeping with Indias tradition and genius. The position that Indian women occupy today is very largely the very result of little more than a century of earnest endeavour on the part of social reformers, educationist and political leaders. For it was the 20th century that really ushered in an era of dynamic change and new concepts which fundamentally affected the status of women, giving to it a fresh dignity and importance. In India, because of her political subjection at the time, progressive movements had a political tinge and were the reflection of a peoples determination to through of all shackles of bondage. The womens movement was no exception to the rule. Therefore , it was only when India gained her political freedom and emerged as an independent Sovereign Republic that women truly came into their own as equal partners with men. The recognition of the right of women to complete equality opened up new pathways of service and encouraged women to play an important role in public affairs. Indias social and political tends in the decades prior to her independence regard the rapid advances of women and their easy adaptation to new ways of the life as staggering achievement. Much of the credit for this is due to the liberal attitude adopted towards women by social and political thinkers of the day. They have proved their worth as minister. MPs, MLAs and political organizers. There contribution to scientific research and armed forces is also to be noted. The impact of education on the economic status of women has been as strong as its impact on other aspect of women development. Womens economic horizon, once limited to

household chores or labour on the farm, has expended considerably. As each new need arose, a new service was released. Womens first response was to the call for teachers. More than a hundred years ago they took to this profession. And today they constitute approximately twenty eight percent of the million teachers in this country. With the establishment of hospitals and health centers women have qualified as doctors, nurses, health visitors and midwives; and when law colleges, agricultural, engineering and other professional institute opened their doors to them, they invaded their precincts also. There is scarcely any avenue of the employment which women have not entered. In ancient times the women were confined to home as servants and helpers to their men folk. They were deprived of their legal, sexual, social, occupational, economic, political and cultural rights. But now through at the world women have moved toward greater freedom and have achieved greater equality with men, both within and outside the family. More and more jobs have been made available for women in India after independence. Now they are working in almost every field with their men counter parts. For example teacher, doctor, nurses, bank employees, layers, police, journalist, engineering services etc. Although due to availability of various jobs the women are getting due respect in society. But the working women have dual stress due to their job demands and family demands. Thus they have additional mental health & personality problems as compared to non-working women. It is therefore relevant to study the personality, self esteem and adjustment patterns of working women and Non- working women. Some of the most significant aspects of women education , socio-economic development of women, the job opportunities available for women, status of working women is India and problems of working women at work in particular and in the society is general have been discussed. It was found that the social and educational status of women is not up to the mark, and we have travel a long way in order to bring about as improvement is it. It was also conduced, on the basis of research finding, that working women encounter a large number of frustration situation at home as well as in the society. Various factors that contribute to the frustration of women and subsequently to their personality and selfesteem. Therefore , it become the prime responsibility of the responsible members, of society, particularly those concerns with sociological reform to study the various causes for frustration and adjustment related problems among working women and to think of measures to remove them. Any effort in this direction will help women adjust better in their family as well as in the society. It has been realized that studies of the problems related to women have not been given adequate attention and there is need to conduct such study. Attempts have been made to study the psychological dimensions of women development. It is often advocated that in order to bring women to equal status with men economic independence of women

is necessary. As a result women are being provided with various jobs in society. The number of working women is gradually increasing . It is noticed that working women have additional problems of mental health in the process of making adjustment with their job demands and family demands. It is therefore relevant to study the personality dimensions of working women and non-working women, the problems of women in general and working women in particular in our society. Such analysis may be helpful to suggest some measure of improving the personality dimension of women at least to reduce the effects of those factors which lead to poor adjustment. Thus decides the theoretical gains of the study it has practical implications in the field for psychology. So how the women adopt and reaming well adjusted within these situations is the focus of this research. How they adjust with in their workplace role, their domestic role and their personal life problems. There is different kind of problems attached with the womens. So an attempt is made to compare personality , self esteem , and adjustment of employed, and unemployed employed women in the present study entitled personality factors and adjustment patterns of working and non- working women.

Review of the literature This chapter contained review of the relevant literature on working and non working womens healthy personality and other aspects. It may be pointed out at the outset that studies directly related to comparison of employed women and housewives on self-esteem and other factors are very. In the review those studies have been included which may, if not directly then at least indirectly, throw some light on the aspects relevant to the present investigation. Self concept, the core concept of self- esteem has been a central concept with in symbolic interactions since the seminal writings of Mead (1934) Cooley (1902) James (1890). But in the past few decates there has been a revitalization of interest in the selfconcept specially with in social psychology and has acquired a central position in theoretical frame works and researchers. Numerous dimension of self- concept have been considered in social psychology but the most elementary distinction is between the content of self- conception (e.g. identities) and self- evaluation or in other words self- esteem. Self evaluation or self- esteem refers to the evaluative and affective aspects of the self concept, (Wells and Marwell, 1976). Shibutan (1961)- Most researchers on the self- concept focus on self- esteem dimension. Similarly adjustment involves the gratification of a persons behaviour as governed by the demand of various environmental situations. An individual maintains the balance between himself and his surrounding either by modifying his own behavior or by modifying the environment. Adjustment is the major problems relate to the womens specially is the contest of working women due to their double work presser. Self esteem and adjustment are considered to be strongly associated with a sense of competency power or efficiency, hence a greater attention has been given to this aspect in research on women in employment. Deutsch(1944) , Dellared et. al; (1944). Dohrenwend et. al., (1967) found that working and non-working mothers both suffer from anxiety to maintain the integrity of the self, they are bound to adopt defense of one order or other. Feld(1963), Kligler(1954) and white (1972) reported that employed mothers express greater feelings of inadequacy and exhibit higher levels of guilt and anxiety about their roles as mothers than the non-working women. Nye and Hoffman (1963), Birnbaum(1971) and Newberry et.al.(1979) found that working mothers do not differ from mothers at home in terms of psychological symptoms and may even be more satisfied.

Sex-difference related studies also conducted that women are governed by social, emotional needs where as men are more work and achievement oriented. Horner (1972) found that by adolescence boys are urged to do well in school and to plan for their careers , where as achievement by girls is discouraged. Robbins, Lillian et.al. (1983) found that women were more inclined toward artistic and domestic interests and helping other; men were more interested in scientific investigation, athletics and adventure. Apter(1985) concluded that self- esteem and trait anxiety level is found higher in working women than the non-working women. Whereas Mukhopadhyay, 1989 found that mothers whether they are employed or not employed more or less anxious. Hoffman (1986) Kessler and Mac Rac (1982) found higher state anxiety in working women than the non-working women. This may be due to employed mothers have to deal with harder reality of dual work situation. Working women have dual work pressure and busy life style than the non-working women which causes anxiety in them. Burke R.J & Weir(1987) found that working married women would report more stress and less satisfaction than house wives in a sample of 200 Canadian couples. Kaba (1977), investigated the effects of womens employment on household activity and expectations. It was found that wifes contribution of monetary recourse given her the new role of household co- provider but does not significantly increase her husbands share is housework. Dollers and David (1978) concluded that level of development of the children of working mothers was good than that of the children of non-working mothers. Nelson (1978) studied on a big sample of working and non-working womens childrens and concluded that there was no significant differences in the personality adjustment of the children of working and non-working womens. Hatfield E. & Walsten (1978) found that graduate non- working married women feel more depression in their daily life than the less educated married women. So researchers encourage high education for women to solve their problems, marital maladjustment and it also helps them to bringing up their children properly. Baruch(1979) studied panning tendency in working women and non-working women in different situation on a large population and found that blaming tendency is more in non-working women than working women because of lack of satisfaction in life in terms of financial independence and higher self-esteem.

Juneja(1979) reported that children of working women were more independent, more adjusted, socialized decision taking and more well behaved as compared to children of non-working womens. Anne Statham, George & Bohrnstedt (1979) study on House wives self-esteem and their husbands success. The myth of vicorious involvement. Result was that only husbands income has a direct positive effect on self-esteem of women while other success of her husband actually lowers her self-esteem. These findings, made more dramatic by a comparison with waring married women for whom, none of the above effects appear , demonstrate the ambiguous impact traditional marriage has on woman since marriage is traditionally a basis for a womens identity. Successful marriage increases her feelings of worth. However, the specific role arrangement may reduce her feeling of personal competence. Parry & War (1980) found that non-working women trying to express their inner frustration and aggression. They seem to be frustrated and dissatisfied due to lack of independence. Because financially they are dependent to their husband or other members of family. They have no right to take any decision about the family and the career of their children . Employments offer a person with greater opportunity to feel a sense of competency efficiency and greater power over ones own circumstances. Researches support the view that employment can have a positive effect on the self- esteem Power and Sanchez (1982) Found that self- esteem was positively correlated with occupations and reading achievement. Womens who are highly educated and have employment in salaried job have higher level of self-esteem. Borgatta and Evans (1967), Crowther and More (1972) and Suchner and More (1976) for example found a consistent relationship between occupational prestige and perceptions of such traits as responsibility, competence and intelligence. But question concerning the relationship between self- esteem and achievement levels have only recently become important in psychological research. White(1970) discussed the special problem of identity and self- esteem forced by women in science and concluded that interaction with follow professionals led to heightend self- esteem among then. In general, however, women are expected to primarily remain involved in housework and household activities. In the initial phase care of children and bringing them up may prove rewarding and result in heightened self esteem.

Rossis (1964) studied self- esteem of work and non-working women in relation their motherhood patterns. And data indicated that traditional socialized young women indeed do fore well during these bussy years of early motherhood. At this point in their lives, the family oriented women has high self- esteem and generally feels good about herself. In sharp contrast, the statistically more deviant , personal achievement- oriented young women is for more trouked with self doubt and has low self- esteem during her twenties and early thirties. However, with growing pattern for smaller families, women hardly are left with any useful activities apart from drudgery of the daily work routine commenting upon this phase . Rossi(1968) worm us that we must face the alarming possibility that most women loss ground in personal development and self- esteem during the middle year of adulthood where as most men gain ground women maintaining a high level of self- esteem depends on the adequacy of earlier preparation for a shift to , or perhaps more ideally, continuing involvement in major adult roles other than or in addition to marriage and maternity. Thus , women who have not engaged them solves for any other role than home maker, may suffer from what is termed as House wife syndromes. A number of studies reported that being merely a housewife may have negative psychological consequency. Walker and Walker (1980) found that women not employed outside their homes have slightly higher level of anxiety than employed group, because they are totally dependent to the other members of the family. Holohan and Gilbert (1979) found contrary to prediction, greater role conflict was reported by the non career group than the career group. This may be due to their frustration and anxiety. Welch and Booth (1977), Marecek et.al (1981) concluded that despite their insulation from job related stresses housewives seem to have either similar an higher levels of psychological and psychosomatic symptoms. Gove and Tudor (1973) studied on homemakers and employed women and also suggest that decline in prestige and skills required in homemaking have led to greater dissatisfaction with home making and it has been linked to a higher probability of mental health problems among housewives. Vonder Velder (1974) suggests decompensation in the role of housewife as causal, while Bernard (1972) concludes flatly that being a housewife will make healthy women sick. Various types of well know problems with the role have been listed by numerous researches (Bernard, 1972; Oakley; 1974 a and 1974 b) finding of their works was that homemakers or house wives have higher level of anxiety, depression, frustration

and anger than the women who want employed in outside jobs. Which directly offected their self-esteem and adjustment. Employed women have been found to have better emotional health then housewife in terms of both psychiatric and psychosomatic symptoms. Bart 1970 in a small , nonrandom sample, found less depression in middle class working women, while fewer psychiatric symptoms were found by feld (1970) in employed women as compairs to house wives. Shaver and Freedman (1976) found lower anxiety, loneliness and feelings of worthlessness among employed women. Because they have two kinds of work situation and surrounded by many people. They are independent and have right to take decision. Employed women have responded more favorably than housewives on physical and mental health items in a variety of studies. Field (1963) found that, in a national probability sample of actual women, employed women reported fewer physical health problem and fewer major illness than housewives. House wives reported major physical health problems , more depression, anxiety and frustration, also many other research work. Personal self- esteem has generally been found higher among employed women (field 1963; Hacker 1971). Although feeling of self-esteem do not generalized to confidence regarding motherhood among the employed (Nye, 1974; Sharp 1963) Kaith and Schafer (1982)- studied a large sample of working women and concluded that nontraditional sex- role orientations, spending more time at work , receiving help from other and higher self- esteem were linked to less depression in employed women. DeMan and Benoit (1982) found that feminists and males reported higher levels of self- esteem than non feminists. No differences were found between feminists and males. The highest index of relationship was obtained when feminism was correlated simultaneously with self- esteem, age and years of education. Birnbaum (1971) found that working professional women, whether married or single by the middle adult year hold themselves in higher regard than equally gifted nonemployed women. The professional woman, on the other hand whether married or single, finds a vital source of personal identity and satisfaction in her work, which greatly enhance her general sense of self- worth and confidence. Mackies (1983) hypothesized that there would be no male female differences is self esteem but that full time housewives would have lower self- esteem than women is the labour force. Result supports the hypotheses. No sex- difference were found in greater

satlience or self- esteem. The self- esteem of working wives was significantly higher then that of housewives, however, the family retained its priority for both categories of women. Evidences , however are there to show that a large number of housewives may be perfectly satisfied within their home maker role and may have self-esteem equal to or higher than employed women. Joshi, Garon and Lechasseur (1984) found no significant difference is self- esteem and loneliness of 40 unemployed women and 40 working women. A negative correlation was obtained between loneliness and self esteem for both groups. Erdwins and Mellinger (1984) studied on self-esteem of women in different situation and did not find any difference between married career women single career women and homemakers on self-esteem. Keith and Schafer (1980) found that full time homemakers and employed women did not differ in levels of depression. Result of study by Phadke and Kulkari (1977) show that the employed and non- employed housewives, irrespective of whether they are field- independents or field dependents do not differ in their adjustment. Bernard (1972) suggested that those with primary identity as wives and mothers would be sufferers, quite the opposite seems to be true. Marriage, more children and higher education all were associated with being satisfied as housewives. Donelson and Gulla harns (1977) suggested that those lacking a strong sense of personal identity would suffer from the syndrom seems more consistent with the findings. Hops, Patterson & Weiss (1972) found that working married women can not properly adjust within their married life because they have many tasks to perform at a time where as non-working married women have good adjustment in marital life. Because housewives have more time to salve their problems and maintained their relationship. Fidell (1976) concluded that house wife syndrome would appear to be real phenomenon, but perhaps misleadingly labelled. Because approximately two thirds of the housewives were as healthy and satisfied as employed women. It is difficult to argue that adopting the role of housewife will make a women sick . For those with conservative nations about the proper role of women, house wife would appear to give as much satisfactions as employment does for women with different attitude. A dissatisfied pattern of responses among housewives by this analysis would not result from the role itself but rather from the characteristic of persons who found the role of housewife easier than employed.

Cooper, C.L. ; (1981) found that many working married women experience high stress levels, because heavy work puts a has effect on their lives and it creates stress in their personalities. There is some evidence that females who engage in achievement striving define achievement in intellectual activities as more feminine that those who do not pursue these activities (Lesser, Krawitz & Packard, 1963; Lipman- Blimen, 1972; stein 1971). In fact, Crandall & Battle (1970) found that young women who were highly motivated to achieve in the intellectual sphere also felt that they were able to meet conventional sex-role standards, but had attitudes that were discrepant from those standard in many ways. Some of the studies do point out that females who are likely to opt for a career are different from those who are planning to be only homemakers. (Gysbers & Johnston, 1968). Women in general are seem to be having low n- achievement and high n-Affiliation but Pathak (1974) has painted out that girls who go for higher education are most likely to have higher achievement. Bledsa l(1978) found that women favoring the career role were more radical and imaginative. The young women favouring a the homemaker role were more likely to be conservative, excitable, submissive, practical, conscientious and uncontrolled. Bachtold and Werner (1972) found women scientists to be serious , radical , confident, dominant , intelligent and adventurous than women is general population and less sociable, group dependent and sensitive . Personality profiler on the 16PF of men and women scientists showed strong similarity. Evaluating the major models of the healthy personality , Schulz (1977) has drown the following conclusions, there is no single prescription for or description of psychological health on which all psychologist or personality theorist would agree Perhaps the only paint on which most of the theorists are agreeable is that psychologically healthy persons are in conscious control of their lives. In one form or other theorists also seen to agree that psychologically healthy person know who and what they are another generally agreed upon characteristics of psychological health is a firm anchoring in the present. These similarities are not unanimous. Some theorists have not made themselves clear on all these points. Employment in organized sector require certain minimum academic/ vocational qualification and in such case logical trend would be The lower the level of educational facilities the lesser will be opportunities for employment in it (Manohar, 1983). Consequently, the womens participation in the organized sector and white collar job is not considerable. Women are for behind to their male counterparts in the field of higher

education. Among the organized sector service sector, to some extent offers wide scope for womens employment, Beside the profession of teaching, medicine and nursing, scientific and clerical work, women have room for job in communication, sales and secretarial functionaries. Most of the educated working women are drawn from middle and richer section of the society and a very few women from the lower classes get a chance in this jobs. Limitation of marriage and family life norms of the social status nation of social responsibility, place of work, support from family and relatives, nature of work, service condition of the employment etc. act as deterimental womens position is the white collard world (Manoher 1983), It is quite likely that womens belonging to middle class of the society are torn between the conflicting pulls of the twin roles as home and the job. The role conflict may not be therefore professional woman affluent families as they are not expected to look after their home front the some way the middle class women have to Then there are many numbers of housewives of affluent families, who employ full time female domestic help to bring up infants instead of doing it themselves (Chaturvedi 1985). However , the proportion of the working women in different profession from upper class of society is very low and yet to emerge nature of employment working condition on the jobs, prevailing stereotype customs and attitude of society have not yet motivated majority of educated women to join a profession. Even if a women joins it, above mentioned complexities on the job and conflicting pulls of the dual roles (i.e. home and job) performances play their part and she become unable to cope up with the conflicting situation resulting in her maladjustment and dissatisfaction with the job, while performing the dual role. Professional women are satisfied with their jobs or not? Whether they are able to adjust with these conflicting situation or not? Answer to these questions are yet to be explored. The state of job satisfaction among currently working women in urban occupations may also influence the future female participation in modernized sector of the economy (Chaudhary 1976). Jain(1990) conducted a study for adjustment tension and expectation for children of working and non-working mothers and concluded that there is a significant difference between both the groups. Nokano (1993) Studied Personality hassles and psychological and physical well being. In this study the effects of personality characteristics on psychological/ Physical well begin of 91 Japanese working women were investigated with second order factor of the 16 PF questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis revealed significant, negative contribution of extroversion and independence to depression. However adding hassles as perceived stress to the regression equation marked by cleareased the amount of depression variance explained by these personality variables. None of the personality factors predicted physical

symptoms and only hassles significantly contributed to their prediction medicating strong association between hassles and physical symptoms conceptual overlap and confounding effect between hassles and symptoms measures are discussed in the light of these findings. Romito(1994): in a study of Work and health in mothers of young children, found that variables such as education , income, social class, housing and marital status are likely to affect the health of mothers of young children just as the health of other women Naphoz, (1994) while studying Indices of psychological well being and sex role orientation among working women, reported that, in this study sex role orientation, role conflict, depression, self esteem and life satisfaction were measured in working women. The convenience sample consisted of 106 working women, mostly white ranging in age from 22 to 62 years. Analyses of the data revealed that participants who were undifferentiated is sex role orientation has significantly higher depression scares, lower self- esteem scares and lower life satisfaction scare than the erogenous and cross typed groups. There were be significant differences among the sex role orientation types on role conflict scores, intriguing comparison among depression , self esteem life satisfaction and sex role orientation were found. Napholz (1995) while studying Mental Health and American Indian Womens multiple role, found that, in the sample of 148 American India working women from the Midwest, the sex typed group had significantly higher depression scores, higher role conflict scores, lower self- esteem and lower satisfaction score when compared to the cross- typed and androgynous group. Sims and Napholz (1996) studied what are some African American working women expressed experiences of role conflicts: the purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of African American Working women who attended a six week intervention group to decrease role conflict and enhance psychological well being. The sample consisted of nine African American working women ranging in age from 29 to 55: Participants reported role conflict with their professional roles, which was further confounded by race. Areas of role conflict included (a) serutinization (b) de legitimization of the professional role and (c) horizontal abuse. It was conducted that African American working women experienced anadditional element of role conflict that is related to their ascribed role rather than their achieved role. Melesis Messias and Arruda (1996) in study of womens work environment and health: clerical workers in Brazil. Reported that although women are participating more in the formal work force. The majority are employed primarily in low-income and low status occupations. As part of an international study, 60 females Brazilian clerical worker reported to a self administed questionnaire describing what they liked disliked and found stressful about the structural, physical and social aspects of their work environment

participants also identified strategies they used to cope with stress in the work environment. Dimensions of healthy environment identified in the data included utility, challenge, participation , safety, pleasing work place , valuation, clarity of roles and empowerment , unhealthy environments were characterized by hazards . The result and their relationship to healthy work environments are discussed within the context of the large sociopolitical environment of Brazil. Corr (1997) while studying The fulfillment of career dreams of mid lifer, does it matter for womens psychological health?, examined whether a womens mental health at midlife is affected by the degree to which her earlier career aspirations have been fulfilled. Two dimension of mental health are confident: depression and purpose in life, based on data for 3,499 female respondents to the Wisconsin longitude study (W. L. S.). The result indicated that women who have fallen short of their earlier career goals suffer from lower level of purpose in life and higher level capital of family and health characteristic. For purpose life, the harmful effects of falling short of ones goal attenuate considerably when current family characteristic are controlled. For depression, the harmful effects of falling short of ones goal decline considerably one health characteristics are considered. Although women who aspired to be housewives evidenced lower levels of purpose a in life at midlife then women with work aspiration, this difference was not statistically significant one human capital characteristics were controlled . Women who at age 45 did not know what they hoped to do in the future has significantly lower levels of purpose in life is their 50s, even after controlling for social back ground, human capital , family and health characteristic . Bergman (1998) study identifies personality characteristics in group of Swedish women (N=60) attending their first treatment for alcohal problems. Rorschach personality profiles of the 60 women differed significantly in almost all investigated aspect in a psychopathological direction from norms reported by Exner for a reference group of female non- patients . The findings are consistent with the assumption that although EWR women were socially well functioning and fairly early in their drinking career. They nevertheles reveal serious underlying psychopathology. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed. Nicdhammer(1998)-In their study attempted to establish whether psychosocial factors at work are predictors of depressive symptoms in a prospective cohort of men and women employed in a wide variety of occupations by the French national company. This study followed the Gazel Cohart by means of annual self-administered and personal departments of the company depressive symptoms were assesced by the Center for Epidemiologic studies depression (CES-D) scale in the 1996 questionnaire. The results strongly support the possibility that psychosocial factors at work are predictive of depressive symptoms.

Lichton and Wachler (1999) : In the study examined the passable influences of audio and video recording of personality assessment , measures on anxiety, undergraduate students In psychology were randomly assigned to audiotape, video-tape are control conditions and given the state-trait anxiety inventory and Rorschach inkblot method. A one way multivariate analysis of variance indicated significant differences among these conditions. Tape recording itself did not seen to effect the anxiety indices of these frequently used personality. Geneview, Yvan & Stephane (1999) worked on personality and marital adjustment utility of the five factor model of personality. Result of hierarchical regression analysis indicated that self-reported and partner reported personality of self- reported marital adjustment for the both men and women. Personality traits were found to contribute to the predictors of marital adjustment over and above the effect of neuroticism. Tracey and Shaw (1999): studied to investigate the role of women general practitioners (GPS) in New Zealand. A five page questionnaire was posted to 200 randomly selected women. Result was that women GPS suffer both professional and financial difficulties because of their dual motherhood/professional roles. Andrade, Postma and Abrahamk(1999): made an effort in urban Indian working women are expected to continue to discharge their traditional domestic duties: the likely result is compromised well-being due to role strain. Husbands of working women may also experience pressures and hence poorer well-being, well-being in working couples. The subjective well being inventory was administered to 46 one working and 51 both working partner. Sample was urban and randomly selected middle class couple in one working and as well as both working families. Wives experienced less well- being than their husbands. Working wives experienced more confidence in coping than non working women. Husband in both working families experienced better social support but less social contact less mental masterly and poores , perceived health than husbands in one-working families. Few or no sociodemoraphic variables were associated with well being. Result was that employment may benefit women but stress their husbands. Khlat, Sermet and Le- Pape(2000): Prerated a paper. In this paper the health of women aged 30 to 55 years is analyzed according to the family and work roles which they exercise based on the 1991-1992 French National health survey. The findings are discussed in terms of role enhancement and role strain health selection the nature of the health disadvantage associated with specific role patterns and the importance of the structural context in the role framework. Korobeinikov (2000): studied the ageing peculiarities of human mental working. The aim of investigation was to study the ageing peculiarities of human mental working capacity with mathematical models. Thus were examined 150 women and 125 men in the

human mental activity was presennted with special computer test. The regression ageing models for assessment of mental working capacity is proposed. The study showed that high level of human mental working capacity is determined with decreasing of mental experience variation and the increasing of speed of remaking the information. Theorell Alfrcdsson and Westerholm(2000): studied the aggression and hypertension in working and non working men and women. The present study was designed to answer the question, whether the pattern of coping primarily directed towards the aggressor (open) or directed inwards or towards other (covert) is associated with hypertension among working men and women. Interview , multivariate analysis were used to estimate associations between work hours and depression and changes in weight, smoking , drinking and exercise, while controlling the potential, socio -economic and work related factors. In this study coping and hypertension in women was confined to low than men. Coping patterns were correlated with psychosocial work environment factors in particular decision latitude. In man covert coping was associated with prevalence of hypertension. In women there tended to be a relationship between low scores for open coping and hypertension. Shields (2000): In this article examine associations between long working hours. depression and changers in selected health behaviors. Based on an analysis of people followed over a two year period the relationship between changes in work hours and changes in health behaviors is explored . The data are from the household longitudinal component of the national population Health survey Canada. Results are based on 3,830 adult worker. 5720 working men and women aged 15-64 years participated in the study. The coping pattern was studied by means of a Swedish version of a self administered questionnaire that was originally introduced by Harburget for women. However no significant result were found. Results: Women who worked long hours had increased odds of subsequently experiencing depression. Moving from standard to long hours was associated with unhealthy weight gain for men, with and increase in smoking for both men and women and with an increase in drinking for women. No associations were detected for physical activity. Ahmad Nias (2002) studied on womens work and health in Iran: a comparison of working and non-working mothers. This study aimed to research on the impact of work on mothers health in Tehran within a role analytic framework. 1065 womens were taken as the sample of the study. Three main explanatory factors were examined. (Sociodemographic, work and work-related and social life context variables) alongside a range of mental and physical health outcome variables.

Rao , Kiran, Apte, Maridula and Subhakrishna D.K. (2003) worked on coping and subjective well being in women with multiple roles .They examine the role of work related factors , availability of supports and coping styles as predictors of well being . Sixty married, working women were individually interviewed with regard to reason for employment and support availability and administered the coping checklist and subjective will being inventory. They found that in working women with multiple roles enhancing problem and emotional focused coping by strengthening the use of support network is important for well being. Sanyal, Nilanjane, Basu, Saujata and Bandy upadhyay, Urmi(2003). Worked on Anxiety and defense mechanism: A comparative study of working and non-working life situation. In the present context an attempt had been taken to verify the nature and degree of anxiety and defense mechanism of working & non- working mother of age groups 35-45 years. Indian adopted version of State- Trait anxiety Inventory and Defense mechanism Inventory were administered individually to 100 working and 100 Non working mothers. Results revealed that state anxiety is significantly more is working mothers were as defense, projection in the actual behavior level is significantly used more by non- working mother. Waters, Lea E, Moore Kathleen, A (2002) studied on 201 unemployed men and unemployed women in a cross-sectional study that assessed the relation between selfesteem and financial deprivation, number of alternate sales, use of social support and gender and found that financial deprivation, alternate roles and social support each had a main effect on self- esteem and these variables interacted with genders to affect selfesteem, specially financial deprivation had a greater negative association with self- esteem in men as compared with women. In contrast alternate roles and social support had a stronger positive relationship to self esteem in women than in men. Murray, Cynthia L; Gien , Lan & Solber Shirley M(2003)- Studied the impact of unemployment on the mental health of women is the content of massive unemployment. Comparison were made between the level of mental distress experienced by unemployed and employed women. They found groups of women were experiencing high level of distress. The moratonium financial problems and feeling of uncertainty identified as by stressors for all the women. But especially for those without work among the working women post experience with unemployment and level of education had significant correlation with their mental well being. Corcoran, Mary, Danziger, Sandra; Tolman, Richard(2004) . Worked on long term employment of African-American and white welfare recipients and the role of persistent health and mental health problems. They found that rate of health problems were disproportionably high in employed womens than non- employed womens Over 60%

women shows mental health disorders. Where as over 70% of current and former welfare recipients reported limitations in physical functions. Lee, Kwang Jo; Um. Chae Chung and Kim Susie(2004). Studied the relationship between roles of employed married women in Seoul, South Korea, Perception of their work role, coping patterns and level of depression. The convenience sample contained 382 women, aged 25-55 years who were living with their husbands and working at least 20 hours weekly. Participants completed five questionnaires. Higher level of depression were found in women who perceived motherhood and career roles as incompatible, those who coped by working harder and those who spent less time helping children with home work. Women who owned their house had lover level of depression. Harshpinder and Aujha Parmjit (2006) worked on physiological and psychological stressor among working and non- working women for this study 150 womens were taken as the sample in which 75 women were working and 75 were nonworking . The data were collected through interview schedule, which was having questions to find the background information of the respondents and questions were made to know various physiological and psychological factors of stress among the women. As the result following conclusion were found . 1. Unfinished tasks compulsion of doing disliked activities death of a close relative and improper sleep were the common factor of stress in both working and non- working women, 2. Working women were more stressed due to factors viz. pleasing others, overburden of work and non- allowance by family to take family decisions independently 3. Non- working women were more stressed than working women due to worng working posture and her non- involvement in decision making by family 4. On an average, working women were experiencing more physiological and psychological factors of stress. Press, Fagan and Bernd(2006)- work edon child care, work and depressive symptoms among low-income mothers, and result was that mother who had concerned about child care were more likely to report depressive symptoms when they had good quality jobs (higher wages) or when they had only one job or were not unemployed. Hindi Hashmi, Maryan Khurshid and Ishtiaq Hassan(2008) worked on marital adjustment stress and depression among working and non-working women is Pakistan, study was aimed to exploring the relationship between marital adjustment, stress and depression. Sample of the study consisted of 150 working and non-working women. Age ranged between 18 to 50 years. The education was at least graduation and above. They belong to

middle and high socio-economic status. The finding of the results also shows that working married women have to face more problems in their married life as compared to nonworking married women. The results further show that highly educated non-working women can perform well in their married life and they are free from depression, and stress. It concludes that on some aspects working married women cannot contribute significantly for the well being of their family. Their attention diverted because of working in two situations. They cannot give proper attention to their marital lives and this causes depression and stress. Aitin Saadat (2009) compared efficiency with working and non-working women. This study aims at investigation whether employed mother are more compliant in home or the housewives of course as far the attitude of their children and husbands is concerned. 200 subjects were asked to response to a researcher-made questionnaire and he get 100 questionnaire form employed mother and 100 questionnaire form housewives mother. The result was that. The most important factor for efficiency in non worker womens family is seeing family members sufficiency and for worker womens family is trust family members together. It owned be evident from the review of the literature that many studies were available related to working women. But more studies were not available in the Indian context. There are very few work done on this a big topic related to society in India. Therefore, the present study was continued the need for more work. Statement of the problems Over the past few decades there has been a gradual acceptance of women in work roles. Currently women have two distinct role; one at home and one outside. They are no longer arraying their self-identity as just the daughter or the mother, or even the wife they are also encompassed in the work role in extra familial context. Due to the pressures of modern life, anxiety & frustration are very common phenomenon for women, especially mothers. Mothers those who have rebelled most sharply against traditional standards of femininity, who deplore the thought of devoting their lives to taking care of a house, husband and children, want full independence both financially and psychologically, feel the pull of tradition. Brought up to the femininity they developed inner standards that are hard to shake. Even the attempt to do so produces is likely to produce anxiety, and adjustment, problems with them. It was generally found that among a large number of causes for which women seek employment, socio-economic status and personal value patterns, are the two most significant contributors. Although many other variable such as family, tradition, adjustment with the husband, marital roles and social customs were also found to be relevant and significant contributors to the frustration among working women but all these

variables some how or the other are related with socio-economic status and the personal values. For a family to be happy and prosperous , socio-economic background is a very important factor in this age of scientific and technological development, the cost of life is increasing multiplicatively, thus making the existence of human being difficult, without sufficient. Sources of income, specially, when the family size is large, it becomes very hard for the family to pull on with the earnings of a single individual. Under these circumstances, women are forced to look for suitable jobs, so that they may be able to contribute to the family expenses. Therefore socio-economics status stands out as a significant variable which compels women to go for job even by they are not interested, and consequently invite frustration and adjustment problems. They are employed women who have come to jobs not because of poor socioeconomic background, but because of certain other reason, such as-to utilize leisure time in socially useful manner, to utilize their educational and professional training, to come out from the narrow walls of family life and enjoy social environment and to compensate for inadequate adjustment in the family there are some women who want to get rid of the household work, and hence prefer to be employed. Thus value pattern in also another significant factor which leads to adjustment situations. The system in which a woman is employed, has its own code of conduct which should be followed by each employed, without questions. Some times , rules are contradictory to the personal and social values already existing in the women. This creates a confrontation between social and familial expectations and personal values, which may result in serious frustration causes major adjustment problems. To be a successful wife is a career in itself, and if a women chooses another career, she has to make reconciliation between the two roles in order to bring about harmony within hersely. The married working women are required to play dual role; one are wives, mothers, and housewives ; and the others, as employees. Being subjected to the dual demands of home and work, they are liable to face the problem of adjustment. Hence they get frustrated, as frustration is closely related with the problem of adjustment. In addition to the biological function that they have to perform because of their sex and the culturally defined womens role in which they have to act; they are confronted with the responsibilities and duties connected with their employment. In older days, when there was the joint family system, there were other family members like grandmother, aunts and elder sisters etc, who could share the responsibilities of both household work and child care .but , in our modern time, when the family unit is composed of husband, wife and children , in most of the cases, the womens responsibility is much more than before,

whether out of their own choice or out of economic necessity combining the two roles home and work is not an easy or a smooth task . It requires not only spill but also physical and psychological acceptance of and adjustment to the change brought about of this combination. It, therefore, presents a great many problems that cause frustration among working women. Nelson (1975) done work an womens work, jobs and housework. It was found that the e.w. were quite satisfied with their jobs, and their descriptions of work indicated considerable autonomy meaning and intrinsic, satisfaction on the job. When similar question was used to explore house work the responses showed more dissatisfaction and alienation from house work them had been revealed in the discussions of jobs. Although some women thoroughly enjoyed housework, there were more spontaneous complaints about house work and the responses to alienation scale items revealed more alienation from housework when asked to rank jobs and house work among their life roles, these women indicated that neither jobs nor housework were the most salient roles is their lives. Nuclear family roles were always most important for the women who were wives and mothers. The old order which confined women to the home, the traditional triangle of children kitchen temple has been or is still in the process of being replaced by a new one. They have now started playing a growing and important roll in many walks of life. This fact is supported by a research study conducted by Ramachandran, Mutakar and Fernandes(1963). & they found that the role of women today, the roles of men and women overlap. The main reason and area of these changes are good facilities for high education, western influence, new economic opportunities and freedom given to women now legal status to arising out of social legislation etc. They have achieved reputation as active politicians, efficient administrators and good jurists. Thus, they are improving their own social status as well as playing a significant role in the socio-economic and political development of the country. There contribution to scientific research and armed forces is also to be noted. They have proved their worth as ministers, MPs , MLAs and political organizers. Women feel that they must engage themselves in physical or mental work, because work outside home confers on them prestige and status as compared to housework. Parvathamma( 1975), conducted a sociological analysis of the problems of employment of university graduates in Mysore. It was found that science and technical courses has preponderance of men while arts subjects seemed to be the favorites of women students.

Mehta(1974), studied womens attitude towards social issues like education. Marriage, different professions and participation in political, social, religions and cultural life. the study revealed that there was no significant difference in the attitudes of a) Married and unmarried women, b) Hindu and Muslim women c) Women belonging to higher socio-economic status and those belonging to lower socio-economic status d) Women with higher family education background and those with lower family education background. Women were in favor of professional education. Marriage and jobs were considered equally important and women showed a highly favorable attitude towards politics . Politics is not a relatively new field for women but today we found large increase of women in the parliament. The major area of work for women in Indian are agriculture, textile industry , Government. Offices Education institutions, , hospitals and private concerns. Women are these as I.A.S. officers, Vice-Chancellors, Ministers Advocates, Artists, and Scientists etc. This indicated that women are in no way less capable than men. The reason for more and more women taking up jobs is two-fold. Psychologically, every human being wants freedom to think, feel and act. This is true for women also their need to free themselves from traditional narrow walls of home and suffocating environment of kitchen life, has force them come out is the healthy atmosphere of social life. At the same time, with the scientific and technological advancement, the economic needs of the family life have increased unexpectedly. So it has become essential for every family to increase its sources of income. Consequently, women are feeling the necessity of their cooperation with the male members of the family, in order to meet the economic requirements easily and satisfactorily. Women from the lower strata of society have always worked for a wages in our country, but those from upper classed were mostly confined to their homes. In independent India a significant and characteristic development is that women have started coming out of their homes in an investigation of the socio-economic condition of educated Indian women, Hate(1930) found that deep and vital change has taken place is the economic condition and personal status of women. These days, not only the women from economically poor homes get engaged in paid jobs, but also those from rich homes who wish to live a socially useful life and contribute to the family finance, look for jobs. Majority of the unmarried as well as married women belonging to middle and upper-middle class families, want to secure some employment, part-time or whole-time. They feel that this would enable them to add to the family income and utilize their talents and energies in an adequate manner. They have come to realize

that work given them personal status , satisfaction and am independent social standingwith the change in womens personal status and social status , there have come a change in her way of thinking and feeling. This change in behaviors sometimes is not liked by the elders. This conflict between social demands and family expectations often brings about frustrating situations. Desai (1957), quotes a passage to describe this development. women are gradually realizing that they have personalities of their own as human beings, and that their mission in life does not end only with becoming good wives and wise mothers . but also in realizing that they are all members of the civic community and of the body politic. Occupation is not merely a means of earning a livelihood, but also influences ones way of life. Therefore, it is necessary that one should get the type of job are is interested in. to get a job is, of course, a difficult task , these days, but to get a suitable job is more difficult. Specifically, in the case of women, suitable jobs are not available is our country. Under these circumstances, they have to go for whatever jobs are available. Paranjapa (1974), studied and found that home adjustment , employer- employee relations spare-time activities, social and emotional adjustment, career orientation, personality etc. the major problematic areas for the both married and unmarried working women. The problems are still more diversified for married employed women. While confronted with the problems at home , at office and also in social life, married educated ladies are required to adjust themselves at every stage, which results in a change in their personality, their outlook in the different situation and their reactions is certain others situation The situations in which educated employed women are placed in foreign countries are entirely different from those in India. In foreign countries. The technical as well as commercial trader are made available to educated ladies in completion with men and the necessary amenities are made available to them, including the care of young children, health care, etc. in India, however, situation have not yet developed to that extent and the educated ladies have not crossed the boundary of professions . Moreover, the sociological structure in India, does not permit the educated employed ladies to be entirely independent. In some cases , women take up jobs for self-esteem, for freedom and independence, and is some cases just to avid clash and conflict is the family. The job may also sometimes operate as safety value when by frustration that would otherwise be expressed in the family, are avoided or directed. Most of the woman prefer jobs outside home as the might be bored of monitory of housework.

In some case. The employment of both husband and wife created problems. Therefore of marital adjustment and the role conflict also . The extra income earned by the working women helps to supplement the family incomes, raises the standard of living and leads to a rise in the economic status of the family as a whole. Some women liked to hand an independence income of their won which they could spend on the wish eel. The wives expected that their husband would not interfere this independence some women continued to work even when there is no economic need. Working women are trained in the working environment to share responsibilities and be consistent with other is the group for being efficient, they can take better responsibility in their family women employment , however , has it own disadvantages, such as mental and physical fatigue, not having enough time for family members and many others problems so many kinds of family problems , social ,educational presser and other things related to family and society creates disturbance is a working and non-working womens life and this effects their adjustment. But how the both groups of women salve their problems and make adjustment with society , family, and other things are depends an their personality factors . So the research focused on the personality factors and adjustment patterns of working and non-working women. People continue to grow and change throughout their lives. Successful adjustment through the life cycle, after all, mostly a matter of flexibly adapting to the changing demands opportunities and limitation associated with different stages of life. Nevertheless, a persons broadly characteristic, traits, coping styles and ways of interacting in the social environment emerge during childhood and normally crystallize into established patterns by the end of adolescence or early adulthood . there patterns constitutes the individuals personality the unique pattern of traits and behaviors that characterize the individual personality is a psychological construct , but also influenced by biological process and needs. It also be seen in our thoughts, feelings, close relationships and other social interactions, personality arises from with is the individual and remains family consistent throughout life. Similarly self- esteem, one of the oldest concepts is psychology. It involves ones mental perception of one qualities not of ones physical features. The original definition presents self-esteem as a ratio found by dividing ones successes in area of life of importance to a given individual by the failures in terms of ones success/pretension. Thus self-esteem reflects a persons overall evaluation or appraised of his or her oven worth. It reflects to a persons disposition to evaluate themselves positively or negatively in a spontaneous, automatic or unconscious manner. Self-esteem con apply specifically to a particular dimension or have global extent.

Where as adjustment is the establishment of a persona according to his or her environment or situation. Adjustment is a process by which an living organism maintains a balance between its need. And the circumstances that influence the satisfaction of their needs. In the present research work we have a comparative study of personality factors, self-esteem and adjustment patterns of both working and non-working women groups. Both the groups have its different environment is which they exits. Working women have to work to in environment, one is the office environment and the other is have environment. Both are vastly different from one to another. The demands of both the places (home and office) are different which may be stressful for the working women . Working women have additional problems. Along with the house holding, in the process of making adjustment with their job demands. Working women may be prone to depression because of they bear the double burden of house work and job outside the home. Symptoms of depression include feeling of sadness, hopelessness, helplessness, anxiety, irritability, agitation, fatigue, low energy and reduce activity level are common and there is also withdrawal from social contact and loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, included sex. Often there are feeling of worthlessness or inadequacy and a lowered sense of self-esteem. There may be change is appetite, weight or sleep patterns, memory problems or other personality problems. In more serious cases there may be suicidal thoughts or a feeling that life is not worth living. (Comer, 1996). Where as non working wome n have only house hold jobs. She have a small area of problems which may be related to family & personal problems, non-working women have more time to short out their problems and to adjust with situation where as working women have less time due to her busy life style. Thus we found that both women groups have different situation, different problems. This may affect their personality characteristics, & what a person think about herself (selfesteem). How a woman adjust in any problematic situation it depends on her personality patterns self-worth so, her we study the personality . Adjustment and self-esteem of both kinds of groups working women, & non-working women) . The status of women in the Indian society is in a process of change. The women are now able to lead a more independent lifestyle than the traditional society of the past year. At that time they were totally dependent and have a similar lifestyle. But now the field is open and they are joining all the fields as medical, engineering, management, educational fields forces etc. and many other fields. This is because womens are getting education and want to do something. But how the women adopt and remain well adjusted within there situations in the focus of this research. So , an attempt is made to compare personality, selfesteem and adjustment of employed (working) and unemployed (non-working) women is the present study.

There are many studies which have been done directly related to comparison of employed women and housewives (non-employed women) on self-esteem and other factors. These are self evaluation or self-esteem refers to the evaluative and affective aspects of the self concepts (Wells and Marwell 1976) , Shibutan (1961) most research on the self concept focus on self esteem dimension. Power and Sancherz (1982) found that self-esteem was positively correlated with occupations and reading achievement, field(1963), Hacker(1971)- Personal self-esteem has generally been found higher among employed women. Kaith and Schafer (1982). Conducted that non-traditional sex-role orientation, spending more time at work, receiving help from others and higher self-esteem were linked to less depression. Mockie(1983) hypothesized that there would be no male female differences in selfesteem but that full time house wives would have lower self-esteem than women is the labor force. Joshi, Goron and Lechasseur(1984)- found no significant difference in selfesteem and loneliness of 40 unemployed women and 40 working woman. A negative correlation was obtained between loneliness and self-esteem for both groups . Erdwings and Mellinger(1984) did not find any difference between married career women, single career women and homemakers an self-esteem . Phadke and Kulkarine(1977) found that the employed and non-employed house wives , irrespective of whether they are field independents or field dependents or do not differ in their adjustment. Gove & Tudor(1973) Suggested that a decline in prestige and skills required in home making have led to greater dissatisfaction with home making and it has been linked to a higher probability of mantel health problem among house wife . This creates adjustment problems among them. Waters, Lea Moore & Kathleen (2002) studied on 201 unemployed men and unemployed women and found that financial deprivation, alternate roles and social support each had a main effect of on self-esteem and these variables interacted with genders to affect self-esteem, specially financial deprivation had a greater negative association with self-esteem is men as compared with women. Sangal, Basu et.al. (2003) found that state anxiety is significantly more is working mothers where as defense projection is the actual behavior level is significantly used more by non-working women. Roa, Apte & Subhakrishna(2003) examine the role of work related factors, availability of support and caping styles as predictions of well being & found that in working women with multiple roles, enhancing problems and emotional focused caping by strengthening the use of support network is important for well being.

Corcorain, Danziger &, Tolman (2004) found that role of health problems were disproportionably high in employed womens than non-employed womens over 60% womens shows mental health disorders. Whereas Lee, Um Ehane Chung & Kim (2004) found higher levels of depression among the womens who spend more time out of their houses away from their family , where as women who owned their house has lower levels of depression . The above studies done so for four that more studies have to be done is context of the working (employed) and non-working (unemployed) women, for understanding their psychological behavioral manifestations , Few objective have been given below is relation to the present research problem. The objectives of the study are1. To assess the status of personality factors is working and non-working women and to find out the differences an various dimensions of personality. 2. To assess the level of adjustment of working and non-working women. 3. To assess the level of self-esteem of working and non-working women. In the present study working womens category has been described on those women who are holding full time salaried jobs such as doctors, nurses, teachers & bank employees. It has been noted that working women have additional problems along with the house holding and family demands in the process of making adjustment with their job demands. It is therefore, the present problem personality factors and adjustment patterns of working and non-working women has been chosen. The findings of the present study will be helpful to reduce the problems of working and non-working women & helpful to suggest some measures for improving their mental health & regarding their other problems. Hypothesis: The design of the study and review literature many hypothesis related to the nature of the sample group and the tools of the study. Married employed and single employed women and expected to be similar and both the groups are expected to be different from married unemployed women on the level of adjustment, self-esteem & personality factors. The hypothesis is given below as such. 1) There would be significant difference between working and non-working women on the level of extraversion on NEO. PI-R scale. 2) There would be significant differences between working and non-working women on the level of Agreeableness on NEO-PI-R Scale.

3) There would be significant difference between working and non-working women on the level of conscientiousness on NEO PI-R Scale. 4) There would be significant difference between working and non-working women on the level of Neuroticism on NEOPI-R scale. 5) There would be significant difference between working and non-working women on the level of openness on NEO PI R scale. 6) There would be significant difference between working and non-working women on the level of adjustment. 7) There would be significant different between working and non-working women on the level of self esteem.