MENTAL-HEALTH, WORK, AND GENDER

Women have significantly higher prevalence rates than men for many men tal disorders, particularly affective disorders. Married women are mor e at risk for mental ill-health than single women or married men. The detrimental effects of marriage on mental health appear to relate to t he contexts of role performances and the reduction in opportunities in paid employment. This review examines the influence of women's paid a nd unpaid domestic work and roles on mental health. Many studies show positive effects of paid employment on mental health, and multiple rol es have been found to have beneficial rather than adverse effects on m ental health. However, husbands' negative attitudes to women's paid em ployment, with resultant marital conflict, and husbands' lack of parti cipation in child care may erode these potential beneficial effects.