Abstract
Women have significantly higher prevalence rates than men for many mental disorders, particularly affective disorders. Married women are more at risk for mental ill-health than single women or married men. The detrimental effects of marriage on mental health appear to relate to the contexts of role performances and the reduction in opportunities in paid employment. This review examines the influence of women's paid and unpaid domestic work and roles on mental health. Many studies show positive effects of paid employment on mental health, and multiple roles have been found to have beneficial rather than adverse effects on mental health. However, husbands' negative attitudes to women's paid employment, with resultant marital conflict, and husbands' lack of participation in child care may erode these potential beneficial effects.
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