Role Stress of Farm Women - Ecological Perspective

Women have been the subject of great interest to religious thinkers, politicians, social leaders, literacy people, artists and social scientists since the beginning of human civilization. It is believed by historians that it was women who first initiated farming by domesticating crop plants. While men went out for hunting, women started gathering the seeds of plants and began cultivating them to meet their food, fibre and fuel needs(Swaminathan, 1985). The problem of role stress in women, particularly farm women is an important aspect of the process of social change in India. Traditionally, Indian women worked within the framework of the family system. Today, they have joined their hands with men in the work force. The consequent outcome is that women live in two systems and need to perform both familial as well as occupational roles. This in turn leads to a greater role stress among the women. This necessitated several psychologists and sociologists to study the composite factors affecting the problems of women. The present study attempts to assess the role stress of Indian farm women.