Gender and family characteristics differences in work-family, family-work conflicts and stress among dual-income earners families: (an empirical analysis in cosmopolitan Lagos, Nigeria)

The study examined the significant gender and family characteristics differences in work-family conflict, family-work conflict among workers in Lagos metropolis. Employee’s perception as reflected in self reports constituted the central features of a model underlying the study, as perception is believed to be related to the individual experience. A total sample comprising 632 married dual-income earners drawn from human service oriented public and private organisations, participated in the study organisations. They consist of 119 males and 159 females from the public sector, and 141 males and 213 female from the private sector. The study was anchored on the Role-Strain Theory (Greenhaus & Beutell 1985) and Job-Demand-Control model (Karasek, 1979). Participants responded to Work-Family Conflict, Family-Work Conflict, Stress Symptom Checklist. The data collected were analyzed using Chi-square contingency analysis, independent t-test and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Result obtained showed that: (i) female workers generally reported high level of work-family conflict compared to male workers (ii) work-family conflict was higher among male workers who have at least 3 children who were above 6 years of age (iii) female workers that have family support in form of assistant of family members, house helps and support of neigbours, reported less family-work conflict (iv) work-family conflict was higher among private sector workers compared to their counterparts in the public sector. (v) Physical stress was higher among male and female in the private sector compared to male/public sector workers. Based on these findings recommendations were made on the need for organisations to mount intervention programmes that would minimize the strains occasioned by the nature of modern work structure and thereby reduce inter-role conflicts. Such as provision for flex time, on-site child care centres, paid maternal and paternal holiday and co-workers supports. Implications of the findings for future research are discussed.Keywords: Gender Difference, Family Characteristics, Work-Family Conflict, Family-Work Conflict

Young Adults Perception of Appropriateness of some Domestic/Home-Related Activities: Implications for Gender Role Acquisition

The process of acquisition of appropriate gender role is both developmental and cultural. The study examined perception of appropriate gender role in the family and the actual participation in family work. The participants were 545 freshmen of a Federal university and a State University within Lagos, Nigeria. The participants ages ranges between 15 years to 32 years and mean age of 19.8years. 371 of the participants were of Yoruba origin, 112 are of Igbo origin and the remaining participants were from other ethnic groups. The home activity scale designed for the study was administered to assess their perception of appropriateness of 30 family works and the frequency of performing the task. The result shows that twelve of the family tasks are perceived as appropriate for women while only four are considered as male appropriate only. Thirteen tasks were perceived as appropriate for the two sexes. However, most of the tasks including those considered as appropriate for both sexes are performed frequently by women. The result shows that traditional gender role sill exists in the Nigerian society. It is important to note that most of the family works are performed by the women.Gender & Behaviour, 10(2), December 201