Predicting the mental health of women employed in political and non-political Governmental Organizations based on gender role schemas

Employment of women in occupations with masculine gender stereotypes, in addition to multiple social roles due to inadequacy with feminine gender schemas has been associated with increased anxiety in women, which can endanger their mental health.

This descriptive-correlational study was conducted on 494 women employed in political (114) and non-political (380) governmental organizations in Mashhad in the years 1398-97 by census and cluster random sampling method, respectively. Data collection tools were Bem Sex Role Inventory and Goldberg General Health Questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version 22) and Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression analysis.

The results of Pearson correlation coefficient test showed that there was a significant direct relationship between the average score of social desirability schema and the subscale of anxiety and insomnia in women employed in political governmental organizations (p = 0.04, r = 0.19). However, there was a significant inverse relationship between the mean score of masculine gender role schemas and social dysfunction subscale in women employed in non-political governmental organizations (r = -0.24, p = 0.001).

The results of the present study showed that more social desirability characteristics in women employed in political governmental organizations were associated with more anxiety and insomnia. However, more masculine traits were associated with fewer social dysfunctions in women employed in non-political governmental organizations.