Levels of Neuroticism between Working Women and Non- Working Women

In the present times, work has become demanding and is in turn interfering with the psychological well-being of an individual. The pressure to perform well and being consistent at that is not what everyone can handle and people are increasingly becoming vulnerable to stress.

The tendency to be vulnerable to anxiety, depression and other negative feelings when faced with potentially stressful situations is known as Neuroticism. Although people with neuroticism tend to have more depressed moods such as feelings of guilt, envy, anger and anxiety, more frequently and more severely than other individuals it does not mean that they are abnormal. To show the significance of work-stress and work-family conflict, comparisons in levels of neuroticism was made between working and non-working women. The study makes use of Manual for Medico Psychological Questionnaire (MPQ) by Dr. J Bharath Raj. Data was collected using a convenient sample of women from different backgrounds. Results showed that non-working women have higher level of neuroticism as compared to their working counterparts. The objective of this research was to understand how external circumstances and situations affect an individual (woman) and it was concluded that even though working women have to balance work and family together, being a home-maker (housewife) takes an unexpected toll on the physiological and psychological well-being of a woman. The study explores different methods and techniques that help individuals adapt to changes like familiarization, meditation, yoga and other stress relieving techniques that can be performed by the affected individual on their own.