GENDER DIFFERENCES ON STRESSORS: Survey In DKI Jakarta, Banten, and West Java Henny E. Wirawan, M. Hum., Psikolog, Psikoterapis, QIA, CRMP (*) Mobile phone: +62811139270 email:
[email protected] Sandi Kartasasmita, M. Psi., Psikolog, CBA, CHA Mobile phone: +628164841778 email:
[email protected] Faculty of Psychology, Tarumanagara University, Jakarta
ABSTRACT Background: Until now it has never developed a stressor scale version of Indonesia. Stressor scale that has been taught and used is the scale that was developed by two psychiatrists Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe in 1967 as The Social Readjustment Rating Scale. Sarason, Johnson, and Siegel have been trying to develop such a scale into the Life Experiences Survey in 1978. However, both scales were made by using the setting of life in the 1960s-‐1970s. This study was conducted to get an overview of the most widely stressors perceived by male and female who live in Jakarta, Banten and West Java provinces. The result of this study expected to be a forerunner to the development of stress instrument in Indonesia.
Method: Survey by questionnaire among about 1999 participants aged 20 to 64 in the three
provinces (DKI Jakarta, Banten, and West Java). Result and Discussion: 36.4% of participants were aged 20 to 24 years old, and most of them were university students. Therefore 2 of the main stressors were almost the same between the two genders. The three main stressors of men in the survey were: workload and work responsibilities, tasks and the result of studies, and traffic jams; while the three main stressors of women in the survey were: tasks and the result of studies, workload and work responsibilites, and problems with friends or others. Conclusion: There are similarities and differences of stressors among male and female involved in the research, in terms of developmental phase (young and middle adulthood), educational level, and marital status. Keywords: gender differences, stressors
BACKGROUND Every person has the potentiality to experience stress, either in the form of reaction to situations of daily life which are relatively simple (e.g., stuck in traffic) as well as stress related to relationship and long-‐lasting and complex problems (e.g., family violence, cheating spouse, or death of a spouse). All events can be perceived as stressful if the individual believes that their resources (i.e., time, money, and energy) are not sufficient to face the threats, challenges, or danger in their environment. Stress produces many changes, both emotional reactions, cognitive responses, physiological changes, or changes in performance (Taylor, 2009). Indeed in some degree of stress can motivate a person to complete certain tasks. However, stress will be harmful if it prevents a person's ability to live normally within a specified period. Individuals who experience negative stress (distress) will feel the fatigue, inability to concentrate, or irritability. Prolonged stress, such as traumatic experiences in the past, can also cause emotional problems drag on and increase thoughts of suicide. Stress also can endanger one's physical
health
("Mind/Body
Health:
Stress,"
2011;
"Stress,"
2011;
Taylor,
2009).
Stress that could potentially cause further problems should be anticipated and recognized, so that individuals who experience it can seek assistance in time. One way to identify the stressors is to use the tools in the form of completed questionnaires of stress. The scale has been used is the Social Readjustment Rating Scale described by Holmes and Rahe (1967). That scale exposed a number of life events (the events in life) with a life change units (rate of change of life). Any individual who fills the scale were asked to recall events that occurred in his life the past year before the date of filling the questionnaire. The scale of the improvement of the SRRS has been done by Sarason, Johnson, and Siegel in 1978 in the form of The Life Experience Survey and is published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology in the same year. However, the scale of stress like this has not been developed in Indonesia. This study was conducted to develop a scale more relevant to the conditions and situation in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta and its surroundings. Preliminary research has been conducted in 2010 by Kartasasmita by distributed questionnaires to 450 young adults and asked questions, "What do you think makes you stress?" and "In a deal with stress, what do you do?" From the results of these studies revealed that the source of stresses on a group of young adults who become participants of research are: (a) jobs (17.14%); (b) relationships problems with others (16.37%); (c) educational problems (12.21%), (d) material/ financial problems (11%), (e) health problems (8.96%), (f) condition of the city/state of the city (8%), (g) personal problems (7.18%); (h) relationships problems with the opposite gender (5%), (i) the family problems (4.46%); (j) friendship problems (3%); (k) technology (2.40%); (l)
hope (2.40%); (m ) food (1.34%); (n) natural conditions (0.50%); (o) time (0.44%); (p) spiritual (0.44%); (q) sex (0, 44%); (r) the fear of something specific (0.44%). Coping is done the participants are mostly emotional focused coping (77.8%) followed by problem focused coping (9.6%) and spiritual coping (2.6%). The results of these studies illustrate that things perceived as stressors have already changed in the year of 2010 compare to the year of 1960-‐1970s. Nevertheless, a variety of data processing required a more in-‐depth picture of sources of stress to obtain a more complete and adequate to be processed as a new scale. In order to make a new scale, there is also one of the fundamental differences in the data retrieval process. Holmes and Rahe get their data from the patients with disease (Greenberg, 2007; Weiten & Lloyd, 2006), while the always open possibility for individuals who are not suffering from any physical illness experienced certain stressors in his life. For the initial stage, this study did not link the event with life change units, but just trying to sort the stressor perceived by the adult individuals, male and female, in stages of young adulthood and middle adulthood. The survey was conducted in three provinces: DKI Jakarta, Banten and West Java.
METHOD Participants Participants in this study are those who live in DKI Jakarta, Banten, and West Java provinces, aged 20 to years old (n = 1,999). Participants are not limited by gender, ethnicity, religion, occupation, educational background, or socioeconomic status. Research Instruments Instruments used in this study is a single sheet questionnaire with the following instruction: "Write down 10 things that you feel and think as the thing that most suppress you or that you consider to be stressful." Research Procedure This research is a survey based on criteria that get exposed in section 4.1. The data obtained are then processed using SPSS version 16.0 to obtain the frequency and average stressors reported by participants.
RESULTS Table 1 Participants’ Gender and Marital Status
Male
Female
n.a.
Total
Married
243 (12.2%)
404 (20.3%)
8 (0.4%)
655 (32.7%)
Unmarried
418 (21%)
806 (40.4%)
8 (0.4%)
1232 (61.7%)
n.a.
41 (2.1%)
47 (2.4%)
24 (1.2%)
112 (5.6%)
Total
702 (35.2%)
1257 (62.9%)
40 (2%)
1999
Table 2 Participants’ Gender and Range of Age
Male
Female
n.a.
Total
20-‐24
233 (11.7)
483 (24.2%)
11 (0.6%)
727 (36.4%)
25-‐29
149 (7.5%)
223 (11.7%)
7 (0.4%)
379 (19%)
30-‐34
68 (3.4%)
112 (5.6%)
1 (0.1%)
181 (9.1%)
35-‐39
34 (1.7%)
78 (3.9%)
1 (0.1%)
113 (5.7%)
40-‐44
51 (2.6%)
73 (3.7%)
4 (0.2%)
128 (6.4%)
45-‐49
56 (2.8%)
82 (4.1%)
2 (0.1%)
140 (7%)
50-‐54
36 (1.8%)
44 (2.2%)
3 (0.2%)
83 (4.2%)
55-‐59
15 (0.8%)
22 (1.1%)
5 (0.3%)
42 (2.1%)
60-‐64
8 (0.4%)
4 (0.2%)
0
12 (0.6%)
n.a.
52 (2.6%)
136 (6.8%)
6 (0.3%)
194 (9.7%)
Total
702 (35.2%)
1257 (62.9%)
40 (0.4%)
1999
Table 3 Participants Recidential
Frequencies
Persentages
DKI Jakarta
1343
67.2
Banten
439
22
West Java
217
10.9
Total
1999
100
Table 4 Participants’ Religion
Frequencies
Persentages
Moslem
552
27.6
Christian
721
36.1
Catholic
442
22.1
Budhism
254
12.7
Hinduism
9
0.5
Kong Hu Chu
5
0.3
n.a.
6
0.3
Total
1999
100
Table 5 Participants’ Gender and Educational Level
Male
Female
n.a.
Total
Elementary School
6 (0.3%)
7 (0.4%)
13 (0.7%)
Junior High School
17 (0.9%)
25 (1.3%)
2 (0.1%)
44 (2.2%)
Senior High School
137 (6.9%)
231 (11.6%)
11 (0.6%)
379 (19%)
Diploma 1
0
1 (0.1%)
1 (0.1%)
Diploma 2
0
1 (0.1%)
1 (0.1%)
Diploma 3
9 (0.5%)
20 (1%)
29 (1.5%)
Bachelor program
462 (23.2%)
818 (41%)
16 (0.8%)
1296 (70%)
Master Program
46 (2.3%)
101 (5.1%)
1 (0.1%)
148 (7.4%)
Doctoral Program
1 (0.1%)
4 (0.2%)
5 (0.3%)
n.a.
24 (1.2%)
49 (2.5%)
10 (0.5%)
83 (4.2%)
Total
702 (35.2%)
1257 (62.9%)
40 (0.4%)
1999 (100%)
Table 6 Participants’s Gender and Monthly Expenditure Range
Male
Female
n.a.
Total
500.000-‐999.000
138 (6.9%)
263 (13.2%)
5 (0.3%)
406 (20.4%)
1.000.000-‐4.999.000
367 (18.4%)
679 (34%)
19 (1%)
1065 (53.3%)
5.000.000-‐9.999.000
104 (5.2%)
180 (9%)
6 (0.3%)
290 (14.5%)
10.000.000-‐14.999.000
32 (1.6%)
43 (2.2%)
2 (0.1%)
77 (3.9%)
More than 15.000.000
25 (1.3%)
19 (1%)
2 (0.1%)
46 (2.3%)
n.a.
36 (1.8%)
73 (3.7%)
6 (0.3%)
115 (5.8%)
Total
702 (35.2%)
1257 (62.9%)
40 (0.4%)
1999 (100%)
Table 7 Participants’ Occupation
Frequencies
Persentages
University students
665
33.3
Company employee
622
31.2
School teacher
307
15.4
Entrepreneur
133
6.7
Housewives
123
6.2
Professional
103
5.2
University lecturer/assistant
17
0.9
Senior High School students
14
0.7
Retired
8
0.4
Spiritual leader
5
0.3
Household Helper
2
0.1
Total
1999
100
Gender Based-‐Stressor Based on this research, the biggest stressors experienced by men associated with the workload and work responsibilities. As for women, the greatest stressor is the task and the results of studies as a student. The following table presents the 10 biggest gender based stressors.
Table 8 Ten Primary Gender Based Stressors No.
Male’s Stressors
Female’s Stressors
1
Workload and work responsibilities
Task and the result of study
2
Task and the result of study
Workload and work responsibilities
3
Traffic jam
Problems with friends or other people
4
Financial constraint
Financial constraint
5
Work environmental condition and working
Traffic jam
hours 6
Problems with friends or other people
Problems with spouse
7
Children’s related matters
Children’s related matters
8
Change in financial state
Family problems
9
Personal injury or illness
Work environmental condition and working hours
10
Family problems
Personal injury or illness
The majority of female participants in this research are students; therefore it is not surprising
that their major stressors were task and the result of study as a student. One other interesting thing, problems with friends or other people is one of the stressors that are meaningful to women more than to men, and so is the problem with a partner. This is relevant to some literatures that reveal that women are more concerned with relationships with others, including with her partner, compared to men (Matlin, 2008; Paludi, 1996). One other thing that can be found from this table is that the problems relating to children are stressors perceived equally by men and women. This is consistent with others research findings and expert opinions stated that nowadays the role of caregivers is not solely dominated by women; at this time more men involved in the process of parenthood (Papalia, Wendkos-‐Olds, & Duskin Feldman, 2006). Other interesting thing is, financial constraints perceived equally to be a stressor for both genders, although for men the change in financial status is still more pronounced effect than women. This suggests the existence of accretion needs that must be satisfied in the present, so that financial problems are not solely the burden of men only. That’s also the reason causing many women work outside the home, to contribute the family’s income. However, financial responsibility is still more synonymous with the role of men as primary breadwinners, so it is logical
that men also feel more stress when financial problems occur, either experienced personally or suffered by their families (Papalia, et al ., 2006). Stressors Based on Gender and Age Table 8 Stressors Based on Gender and Age Age Categorization Male’s Stressors
Female’s Stressors
20-‐24 tahun
Task and the result of study
Task and the result of study
Financial constraint
Problems with friends or other people
Workload and work responsibilities
Financial constraint
Problems with friends or other people
traffic jam
traffic jam
Workload and work responsibilities
25-‐29
Workload and work responsibilities
Workload and work responsibilities
Work environmental condition and
Work environmental condition and
working hours
working hours
Task and the result of study
Problems with spouse
Problems with friends or other people
Problems with friends or other people
Financial constraint
Traffic jam
30-‐34
Workload and work responsibilities
Workload and work responsibilities
Traffic jam
Work environmental condition and working hours
Work environmental condition and
Problems with friends and other people
working hours
Change in Financial State
Financial constraint
Financial constraint
Children’s related matters
35-‐39
Workload and work responsibilities
Workload and work responsibilities
Traffic jam
Children’s related matters
Change in Financial State
Traffic jam
Financial constraint
Change in Health of Family Member
Children’s related matters
Domestic affair
40-‐44
Workload and work responsibilities
Workload and work responsibilities
Children’s related matters
Children’s related matters
Traffic jam
Domestic affair
Work environmental condition and
Personal Injury or Illness
working hours
Financial constraint
Traffic jam
45-‐49
Workload and work responsibilities
Children’s related matters
Children’s related matters
Workload and work responsibilities
Traffic jam
Domestic affair
Work environmental condition and
Financial constraint
working hours
Personal Injury or Illness
Personal Injury or Illness
50-‐54
Workload and work responsibilities
Children’s related matters
Traffic jam
Financial constraint
Children’s related matters
Workload and work responsibilities
Financial constraint
Personal Injury or Illness
Excess spending
Traffic jam
55-‐59
Children’s related matters
Children’s related matters
Workload and work responsibilities
Financial constraint
Personal Injury or Illness
Personal Injury or Illness
Excess spending
Workload and work responsibilities
Traffic jam
Change in Health of Family Member
60-‐64
Personal Injury or Illness
Traffic jam
Children’s related matters
High prices demand
Debt
Workload and work responsibilities
Uncertain or less income
Family problems
Financial constraint
Physical appearance
The table above shows that major stressors among gender aged 20-‐24 years is task and the results of studies. This happens because most of the participants in that age are still study in some universities. Meanwhile, since the age of 25 years to 44 years, the main stressor of both genders is workload and work responsibilities. That condition associated with the characteristics of the participants who are mostly being the active workers in their productive ages. Workload and work responsibilities still become a major stressor for men between the ages of 45 to 54 years. The primary
stressor for women in that age group is children's related matters. Children's related matters perceived equally by both genders aged 55-‐59 years. This is likely related to the social problems of children who are in their teenagers, accompanied by the increasing need to be met, while the parents ahead of retirement. In the 60-‐64 year age, there is a difference of the primary stressor for men and women. Men perceive a personal injury and illness as their primary stressor, while women perceived traffic condition as their primary stressor. This likely occurs because the male participants had been suffering from certain diseases related to their lifestyle, while women still became active and fit physically, so that their mobilization is higher, and therefore feel disturbed by disorderly traffic conditions. Stressors Based on Gender and Educational Level Table 9 Stressors based on Gender and Educational Level Educational Level
Male’stressors
Female’s Stressors
Elementary School
Financial Constraint
Financial constraint
Uncertain or less income
Children’s related matters
Damaged goods
Problems with spouse
Unachieved desire
Failure
Workload and work responsibilities
Long distance relationship
Junior High School
Workload and work responsibilities
Children’s related matters
Financial constraint
Financial constraint
Change in Financial State
Family problems
Work environmental condition and
Domestic affair
working hours
Personal Injury or Illness
Workload and work responsibilities
Senior High School
Workload and work responsibilities
Task and the result of study
Financial constraint
Financial constraint
Traffic jam
Children’s related matters
Children’s related matters
Workload and work responsibilities
Task and the result of study
Problems with friends or other people
Diploma 3
Traffic jam
Workload and work responsibilities
Workload and work responsibilities
Trouble with Boss
Personal characteristics
Children’s related matters
Work environmental condition and
Traffic jam
working hours
Problems with friends or other people
Personal Injury or Illness
Undergraduate
Workload and work responsibilities
Task and the result of study
Program
Task and the result of study
Workload and work responsibilities
Traffic jam
Problems with friends or other people
Financial constraint
Traffic jam
Work environmental condition and
Financial constraint
working hours Master program
Workload and work responsibilities
Workload and work responsibilities
Task and the result of study
Work environmental condition and working hours
Traffic jam
Task and the result of study
Work environmental condition and
Problems with friends or other people
working hours
Problems with friends or other people
Traffic jam
Doctoral Program
Damaged goods
Traffic jam
Change in Financial State
Task and the result of study
Work environmental condition and
Workload and work responsibilities
working hours
Problems with spouse
Children’s related matters
Financial constraint is the highest stressor for men and women who had elementary education. It is associated with the high cost of the necessities of life so that financial constraints would be a heavy burden for those who are only finish the elementary education. They also have limitations in getting a decent income because of the limitations of their education. Workload and work responsibilities stressors experienced by male participants who had finished their education in junior high school, bachelor program, and master programs. It is also commonly associated with male roles, in accordance with the prevailing stereotypes of today, namely as a public workers, according to their duties as the
main breadwinner (Papalia, et al., 2006). Children's related matters’ stressors experienced only by junior high school-‐educated women; probably caused by the limitations of working position in public domain, so that these women are mainly work at home as housewives. Therefore, the children’s affairs become their main focus as well as the primary source of their stressors. Children’s related matters also became one of five major stressors for high school until doctoral degree educated women, but was not considered as the major problem. This also indicates that the children’s related matters have been addressed by others (substitute caregiver), so the women who at least finish the high school education experience stressors on the office and academic affairs (Matlin, 2008; Paludi, 1996). Stressors Based on Gender, Age, and Educational Level Table 10 Stressors Based on Gender, Age, and Educational Level
Educational
Male’s Stressors
Female’s Stressors
Financial constraint
Failure
Uncertain or less income
Long distance relationship
level Young adult
Elementary
School
damaged goods
Problems with friends or other people
Unachieved desire
Workload and work responsibilities
Junior High
Change in Financial State
Workload and work responsibilities
School
Workload and work responsibilities
Children’s related matters
Desire to have a partner
Traffic jam
Unachieved desire
Change in Financial State
Traffic jam
Excessive expenses
Senior High
Financial constraint
Task and the result of study
Traffic jam
Financial constraint
School
Task and the result of study
Workload and work responsibilities
Workload and work responsibilities
Traffic jam
Problems with friends or other people
Problems with friends or other people
Diploma 3
Traffic jam
Workload and work responsibilities
Workload and work responsibilities
Financial constraint
Problems with friends or other people
Trouble with Boss
Work environmental condition and working hours
Children’s related matters
Wait for someone/something
Family’s problems
Undergraduate Workload and work responsibilities Program
Task and the result of study
Task and the result of study
Workload and work responsibilities
Financial constraint
Problems with friends or other people
Traffic jam
Traffic jam
Work environmental condition and working hours
Financial constraint
Master
Task and the result of study
Workload and work responsibilities
Program
Workload and work responsibilities
Work environmental condition and working hours
Traffic jam
Task and the result of study
Work environmental condition
Problems with friends or other
and working hours
people
personal characteristics
Traffic jam
Doctoral
damaged goods
Traffic jam
Program
Change in Financial State
Workload and work responsibilities
Work environmental condition and working hours
Problems with spouse
Elementary
Children’s related matters
School
Financial constraint
Problems with spouse
religious activities
Household matters
Junior High
Workload and work responsibilities
Children’s related matters
Financial constraint
Household matters Financial constraint
Middle adult
School
Debts
thoughts about family member Personal Injury or Illness
Problems with spouse
thoughts about family member
Senior High
Children’s related matters
Children’s related matters
School
Workload and work responsibilities
Personal Injury or Illness
Traffic jam
Financial constraint
Financial constraint
Workload and work responsibilities
Personal Injury or Illness
high prices of necessities of life
Diploma 3
Personal characteristics
Workload and work responsibilities
Traffic jam
Personal Injury or Illness
Workload and work responsibilities
Problems with spouse
Children’s related matters
Children’s related matters
Ride vehicles on the road
Traffic jam
Bachelor
Workload and work responsibilities
Workload and work responsibilities
program
Children’s related matters
Children’s related matters
Traffic jam
Traffic jam
Work environmental condition and working hours
Household matters
Personal Injury or Illness
Personal Injury or Illness
Master
Workload and work responsibilities
Workload and work responsibilities
program
Traffic jam
Family’s problems
Children’s related matters
Children’s related matters
Work environmental condition and working hours
Personal Injury or Illness
Task and the result of study
Unachieved desire
Doctoral
Task and the result of study
Program
Traffic jam
Children’s related matters
Ride vehicles on the road
Revision of Personal Habits
Young adult male participants with elementary education to high school education experience
financial problems as the biggest stressor. Problem related to family finance is still regarded as one of the biggest stressors of middle adulthood participants with high school education. The workload and work responsibilities become one of the main stressors for all young adult male participants from any educational background, especially for those who finished their bachelor programs. For middle adult participants, the workload and work responsibilities stressor becomes the primary stressor for them who finished their junior high school, bachelor degree, and master degree. From the developmental theory, that situation is understandable, because young adults male has just starting out working, therefore adjustments in the workplace often becomes a matter that incriminate them. For middle aged adults, the workloads can be perceived as burden of the responsibility; become more severe in the higher position, while their physical strength begin to weaken (Papilla, et al., 2006). Traffic jam became one of the major stressors for male participants with junior high school to master program education. Traffic jam was also perceived as one of the biggest stressors by the middle adult male participants with senior high school to master program education.
Unlike the male participants who perceive more stressors in the working world and its relation
to financial aspects, female participants more perceiving stressors associated with relationships, whether with a partner, with friends, or with children. Those stressors are perceived by those who are at young adulthood and middle adulthood developmental stages, from any educational background. Similar stressors perceived by female participants as perceived by male participants, that is workload and work responsibilities stressor. For some women (young adult with junior high school, diploma 3 program, and the master program; middle adult with diploma 3 program to master's program) the stressor is perceived as the first stressor. The same reason for male participants could be applied here: young adulthood female also has just starting out their working period, therefore adjustments in the workplace often becomes a matter that incriminate them. The middle aged adults have had long working experience and higher income levels. Especially for the master program educatonal background, they could potentially get a better working position and a greater level of income as well, but they also experiences more and heavier responsibilities than other staffs. Meanwhile they also should take care of their parents, their spouse, and their children. Middle adult women participants from elementary to senior high school educational background consider children’s related matters as their first stressor. This is probably due to their role as housewives who engage actively in the daily care of families and households, therefore the child becomes their primary focus and often the potential to cause stress. This indicates a shift in views on
women as caretakers of children, especially for those who are higher educated and those aged younger (Matlin, 2008). Stressors Based on Gender and Marital Status Table 11 Stressors Based on Gender and Marital Status Marital Status
Male’s stressors
Female’s stressors
Unmarried
Tasks and result’s of studies
Tasks and result’s of studies
Workload and work responsibilities
Workload and work responsibilities
Financial constraint
Problems with friends or other people
Traffic jam
Financial constraint
Problems with friends or other people
Traffic jam
Married
Workload and work responsibilities
Child’s related matters
Traffic jam
Workload and work responsibilities
Child’s related matters
Traffic jam
Working environmental condition and
Household problems
working hours
Financial constraint
Financial constraint
For both gender that are unmarried, especially those who are still studying in college, task and
study results as a student is the biggest stressor, followed by workload and work responsibilities. After that, the male participants felt that the financial constraint as a greater source of stress than problems with friends or other people. In contrast, female participants felt that the problems with friends or other people as a greater stressor than the financial constraint. In various cities in the three provinces, the problem of traffic jammed is considered as one of five major stressors, either by the male or female participants.
Married women participants feel that variety of matters related to the children’s problems is
their biggest stressor. In spite of that, the domestic problem is also a unique stressor for women. Meanwhile, married men feel that the workload and work responsibility is a greatest source of stress in their lives. Moreover, working environmental condition and working hours is a typical stressor perceived
by men who become participants of this study. Meanwhile, traffic jammed and financial constraints are the two stressors equally perceived by both married male and female.
Compared between married and unmarried participants, there are different stressors. Female
participants perceived specifically the stressors of household affairs and problems related to the child. Unmarried women participants are still focusing on the completion of education and their relations with friends in general, not specifically perceive relationships within the nuclear family as the stressors. Married male participants also perceive problems associated with the child as one of their stressors, as well as work environment condition and working hours. Meanwhile, unmarried men participants, as well as unmarried women, focusing on various matters related to learning tasks as their primary stressor. Stressors Based on Gender, Marital Status, and Developmental Phase Table 12 Stressors Based on Gender, Marital Status, and Developmental Phase
Male’s Stressors
Female’s Stressors
Unmarried Young
Task and the result of study
Task and the result of study
Workload and work responsibilities
Workload and work responsibilities
Financial constraint
Problems with friends or other people
Problems with friends or other people
Financial constraint
Traffic jam
Traffic jam
Unmarried Middle
Workload and work responsibilities
Workload and work responsibilities
Children’s related matters
Financial constraint
Change in Financial State
Personal Injury or Illness
Traffic jam
Children’s related matters
Memikirkan tentang masa depan
Problems with friends or other people
adult
Adult
Married Young Adult
Workload and work responsibilities
Workload and work responsibilities
Traffic jam
Children’s related matters
Change in Financial State
Work environmental condition and working hours
Work environmental condition and working hours
Problems with spouse
Financial constraint
Traffic jam
Married Middle Adult Workload and work responsibilities
Children’s related matters
Children’s related matters
Workload and work responsibilities
Traffic jam
Personal Injury or Illness
Work environmental condition and working hours
Household matters
Personal Injury or Illness
Financial constraint
From the table above, it can be argued unmarried young adults participants, from both gender, equally assume that the task and the results of studies as a student as their primary source of stress, as well as workload and work responsibilities. The first source of stress typically experienced by participants who are still studying, while the second stressor experienced by those who already work. Furthermore, financial problems are considered as a more severe stressor for unmarried young adult males, while problem with friends or other people is a more severe stressor for female participants. These conditions correspond to other researches that say that women prefer the social relations while men consider career and finances as a higher priority than an intimate relationship with another person (Matlin, 2008; Paludi, 1996; Papalia et al., 2006). Unmarried middle adult participants also felt that the workload and work responsibilities as a major stressor. This possibly happens unmarried participants spend their leisure time with more work or involve themselves more in the working world in order to develop their career path. Unmarried male and female middle adult participants also consider stressors related to the child as one of the main stressor, possibly because they are expected to raise a family and have children, as the other family members. Workload and work responsibility is also a major stressor for married male young and middle adult participants, as well as married young adult women. This likely occurred because both men and
women who become participants are involved in the working and careers world, therefore many things in working sector perceived as the stressors. Children's related matters is one of the major stressor for married young and middle adult women, and in particular became a major issue for married middle adult women. This likely occurred because some group of women associate marriage with becoming as housewives, so their main focus is regarding to family and household affairs (Matlin, 2008, Paludi, 2006). Stressors Based on Gender and Expenditure Range Table 13 Stressors Based on Gender and Monthly Expenditure Range Monthly expenditure
Male’s stressors
Females’s stressors
500.000-‐999.000
Task and the result of study
Task and the result of study
Financial constraint
Problems with friends or other people
Problems with friends or other people
Financial constraint
Workload and work responsibilities
Family’s problems
Traffic jam
Workload and work responsibilities
1.000.000-‐4.999.000
Workload and work responsibilities
Task and the result of study
Task and the result of study
Workload and work responsibilities
Traffic jam
Financial constraint
Financial constraint
Traffic jam
Work environmental condition and working hours
Problems with friends or other people
5.000.000-‐9.999.999
Workload and work responsibilities
Workload and work responsibilities
Traffic jam
Children’s related matters
Children’s related matters
Traffic jam
range
Financial constraint
Financial constraint
Work environmental condition and working hours
Family’s problems
10.000.000-‐14.999.999
Workload and work responsibilities
Workload and work responsibilities
Children’s related matters
Children’s related matters
Traffic jam
Personal Injury or Illness
Work environmental condition and working hours
Traffic jam
Personal Injury or Illness
Problems with spouse
More than 15.000.000
Workload and work responsibilities
Children’s related matters
Children’s related matters
Workload and work responsibilities
Work environmental condition and working hours
Change in Health of Family Member
Traffic jam
Traffic jam
Excessive expenses
Problems with friends or other people
From the table above, it can be seen that monthly expenditure of male and female participants' who are still enrolled ranged between Rp500,000.00 to Rp999,000.00 and between 1,000,000.00 to Rp4 ,999,000.00. For those whose expenditure less than 1 million rupiahs especially the perceived stressors associated with the task and the result of study as students. Financial constraint is also recognized as one of the major stressors for individuals whose monthly expenditure are at this low category. For those who also become workers, it is likely they worked part time in between other activities, therefore workload
and
work
responsibilities
is
also
one
of
their
major
stressors.
Workload and work responsibilities stressor is a major stressor for all male participants whose expend more than 1 million rupiahs monthly. Similar stressor is also perceived by the female participants, who expend between 5 to less than 15 million rupiahs. Female participants who expend more than 15 million rupiahs focused more on children's related matter as a stressor. Possibly they are housewives with big income husbands therefore they have the opportunity to focus more on children rather than on
business. Women who expend more than 15 million rupiahs which perceive the workload and work responsibilities as a stressor may be a career woman, with or without children. For men whose expenditure categorized in level II and III (Rp1,000,000.00 to Rp9,999,000.00) financial constraint is still one of the biggest stressor, but at a lower order than those whose expenditure categorized in level I (less than 1 million rupiahs). For male participants in category II, the greatest stressor is the workload and work responsibilities and the task and the result of study as students. Financial constraints also become one of the biggest stressor for women in category II and III monthly expenditures, in addition to workload and working responsibilities. Women with category II monthly expenditure even perceive financial constraints stressor as more severe than those of men in the same category of monthly expenditure. For men with category I monthly expenditure, relationship problems with other people only related with friendship matters. Those male who already expend over 5 million rupiahs monthly, perceive also children’s related matters as one of their stressors. This can be interpreted, the men who expend over 5 million rupiahs monthly are already married and children's related matter stressor perceived according to their role as father and head of household. For women, of any spending category, relational problems could potentially be a stressor. For example, problems with friends and other people, not just experienced by those who expend less than 1 million rupiahs, but also perceived by those who expend more than 15 million rupiahs. Furthermore, problems with spouse, child, or family problems are also perceived as a quite severe stressor for women who become participants of this study. Once again this difference indicates that the problem of relations inside and outside the family becomes the more important matters to women, rather than for men (Matlin, 2008; Paludi, 2006). CONCLUSION This study found that there are common stressors for male and female participants involved in this research. First of all, there is the task and the result of study stressor. This stressor perceived by participants who are still studying in the university. Three more similar things between both genders are: (a) the workload and work responsibilities stressor, (b) financial constraints, and (c) traffic jam. Stressor differences of the male and female participants associated with relationships. Male participants especially perceived friendship relation stressor and the problems with children (specifically if the male participants have been married). Female participants, perceived relational stressors consist of relationship matters with spouse, children, family, or friends.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The research was conducted by the grant of The Institute of Research Tarumanagara University, Jakarta. REFERENCES
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