Dual family workers in Greece and stress in comparison to individual role expectations, family and work role characteristics.

Abstract

Dual worker stress is a mediational process, triggered by stressors that are inherent not only in family and work domains, but also within the borders of main social roles. The aim of this study is to examine the association between dual-family workers in Greece and stress, in comparison to individual role expectations, family and work role characteristics. Data was obtained from 46 dual worker Greek couples, who were parents of at least one child. The findings indicate that although men and women seem to experience similar levels of stress, males appear to distinguish more clearly between work and family domains than females, who additionally continue to assume considerably larger accountability for domestic work. Furthermore, irrespective of gender, education, amount and schedule of work, degree of satisfaction with parental benefits, degrees of difficulty in accessing the childcarer and partners’ communication levels are all factors influencing experienced stress levels.