ISSN: 2222-6990
Open access
Most married women who are working may face several challenges in life. These women face conflicting roles as employees, wives, and mothers; all at the same time. Previous studies tend to focus on managing role conflicts, the stress of working mothers, the psychological impact on working mothers, and the impact on children when both parents are working. To a certain extent, these studies are still not comprehensive enough to identify (i) the level of role conflict (ii) how working mothers manage stress and (iii) the mental health level of mothers who struggle to strike a balance between work and family. This paper will present the perceptions of social support and role conflict experienced by working women. This study was conducted quantitatively through questionnaires. A total of 283 women in Klang Valley, Malaysia were selected through purposive sampling. The questionnaire utilizes the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MPSS) and Work-Family Conflict Instrument (WFCI). The results revealed that about 80-90% of the working women agreed they experienced various forms of role conflict that negatively affected their well-being. In terms of social support, respondents admitted they received more support from their families than friends. Respondents’ perceptions of the availability of support are at a satisfactory level. However, they reported high level of role conflict in the family. Most of the times, they need to sacrifice family welfare to fulfill job demands. This situation may lead to intense pressure and mental health issues. Career women in Klang Valley need flexibility in term of working hours. The employers need to be sensitive of the role conflict of female workers who have young children, sick parents, and disabled or special need children. Employers, communities, and governmental agencies may offer support to career women with multiple responsibilities to uplift their psychological well-being.
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In-Text Citation: (Zakaria et al., 2022)
To Cite this Article: Zakaria, S. M., Yussof, A. S., Said, M. M. M., & Othman, Z. (2022). The Experience of Social Support and Role Conflict Among Career Women in Klang Valley. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(1), 41–54.
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