Life Stressors and Social Resources of Middle Aged Working Married Men and Women in Karachi

Abstract

In the past 20 years, the prevalent topics in the area of social and behavioral science has been “stress” and “coping with stress”. Regardless of the fact that a substantial extent of literature has been devoted to the aforementioned topics, in regards to the social resources amongst middleaged men and women has been scarcer and less. To improve and enrich an individual’s wellbeing in the later stage of life the arena of this research is manifold. At one hand it can expand the awareness and understanding linked to human development and adaptation. On the other hand it provides basis for intervention and recognition in regards to social resources. So, the aim of present research was to investigate the life stressors and social resources of middle aged working married men and women in Karachi. Keeping in mind the importance of middle aged married men and women, it was hypothesized that there would be a significant difference in these two groups regarding following areas. Firstly between different components of life stressors and different components of social resources. Secondly, with work as a life stressor and social resource. Total 150 participants including 75 working married men and 75 working married women of middle socioeconomic status of various occupations from Karachi were sampled for the research. Their age range was 35 to 55 years (Erikson’s psychosocial stages of development) and their education was at least graduation (14years of education is preferred). The Life Stressors and Social Resources Inventory - Adult Form (LISRES-A) by Rudolf H. Moos (1994) was administered on individual basis. The results provided partially significant support of the hypotheses. Such as Work and Friends are greater life stressors for male as compared to female. Physical health, Home and Neighborhood, Finance, Spouse, Children, Extended Family and Negative Life Events as life stressors in male and female has no significant difference. Work as life stressor and social resource significantly differ for males and females but the score of work as a life stressor and social resource is not significantly different. The findings of the present research will be helpful for the professionals, working as a clinical, organizational and educational psychologist, in order to increase the awareness about the outcomes of life stressors of working middle aged men and women and to sensitize them against it, by directing various social resources in their daily life and how they can utilize these resources to overcome life stressors.