Mental Health Challenges Among Women: Social, Emotional, and Occupational Perspectives

Mental health includes one's emotional, psychological as well as social well-being which affects an individual's thoughts, feelings and behavior. Women can face distinct mental health issues because of the expectations placed upon them by their role as a woman, family member and employee. When women are balancing work requirements with family obligations they may also develop excessive levels of anxiety and depression as a result of this pressure. For creating interventions that will enhance the ability of women to be resilient and maintain good psychological well-being it is vital to understand the problems faced by women. There is growing evidence that mental health represents a global public health issue of great significance. It appears that women experience greater amounts of social and emotional pressure than men do in addition to the strain of working. This investigation evaluates the effects of social stressors, emotional well-being and job difficulties on the mental health of women. Using a structured survey instrument administered to 312 women from diverse occupations and socio-economic backgrounds, this research utilized a quantitative methodology. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Artificial Neural Network validation in addition to cluster analysis were applied to analyze the data collected. The results indicate that there is a positive relationship between job stress and poor emotional stability; however, there is also evidence that supports the presence of social support as a protective factor against the negative impact of job related stress and emotional instability. The findings from this study provide specific suggestions for policy makers, employers and mental health practitioners in terms of ways to create targeted intervention strategies to help improve women's mental health.