GENDER DIFFERENCES IN DISTRESS - ARE WE ASKING ALL THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

This article presents an explanatory framework for understanding women 's workplace distress based on a literature review that emphasizes the sex differences in distress reports. The explanatory variables includ e stressors, personality disposition factors, and coping mechanisms. T hese variables are used to explain the differential reports of distres s between men and women. We also suggest a reframing of the distress q uestion complimentary to current research. Virtually all of the ''gend er'' stress/distress literature takes an intergroup perspective, consi dering the differences between females and males. After reviewing this literature and presenting an explanatory framework to help understand women's workplace distress, we suggest adding an intragroup perspecti ve that emphasizes the study of different categories of women, thus br eaking the implicit assumption that all women's experiences are the sa me.