STRESS IN EMPLOYED WOMEN - IMPACT OF MARITAL-STATUS AND CHILDREN AT HOME ON NEUROHORMONE OUTPUT AND HOME STRAIN

Objective: To evaluate the biological and psychological effects of rol e overload, we examined the effects of marital (or partnership) status and parental status (defined as having children at home) on daily exc retion of urinary catecholamines and cortisol in a sample of 109 emplo yed women. Other measures included work and home strain, and social su pport. Methods: Urine collection was conducted on two consecutive work days in three separate aliquots, a) overnight, b) daytime, and c) even ing. Repeated-measures analysis of covariance with age and caffeine co nsumption as covariates was conducted on levels of epinephrine, norepi nephrine, and cortisol in the three aliquots averaged across the 2 day s. Results: We found a significant main effect of parental status on 2 4-hour cortisol excretion, (p<.01) such that women with at least one c hild living at home excreted significantly more cortisol, independent of marital status or social support. Women with children at home also reported higher home strain (p<.001) but not work strain. A significan t period of day effect for catecholamine levels was found (norepinephr ine, p<.001; epinephrine, p<.0001) with all subjects showing an increa se during the workday and little or no decline in levels during the ev ening. Catecholamine levels were unrelated to marital status, parental status, or social support. Conclusions: These findings indicate that working women with children at home, independent of marital status or social support, excrete greater amounts of cortisol and experience hig her levels of home strain than those without children at home.