The document describes research on womens' attitudes toward abortion and their decision-making when pregnant leading to either birth or abortion. The objective was "to explore how womens' perceptions of the option of legal abortion have affected their pregnancy decision-making behavior" and to note the impact of their particular choices on their…

The degree to which wives' work decisions reflect the fulfillment of efficiency principles versus a response to social norms and personal needs was analyzed. The National Longitudinal Survey of Women, who were 30 to 44 years of age, provided the data base. To determine if women's work decisions were consistent with maximizing their economic return…

Adopting the viewpoint of the women students involved, this paper examines the first two decades of academic journalism (1908-1930). Pointing out that women students were a sizeable element in journalism schools from their beginning in 1908, the paper calls attention to the fact that women and men students were prepared for quite different lives,…

Previous studies by Newman, Whittemore, and Newman (NWN) reported that between the years 1959 and 1963 and the years 1962 and 1967, percentages of women in the labor force increased as well as suicide rates. The role of women in the labor force was indicative of anomie, which correlated with suicide. The relationship between working women and…

Decades of government interventions, an improved infrastructure, and support for industrialization have not resolved problems of persistent poverty in central Appalachia. This paper investigates characteristics of poverty previously overlooked in development initiatives and poverty research. In particular, it demonstrates the role of gender in the…

While alcoholism and problem drinking is not as prevalent among women as men it nonetheless is a serious health concern, deserving greater attention. Investigation results comparing the consumption and problem drinking patterns of women with men finds that lower consumption rates among females cannot be explained by body weight as men drink more…

It appears that there is nothing inherently associated with femaleness which should preclude the ascendence of women into management positions. However, barriers do exist and they stem from such factors as societal sex-role stereotypes, attitudes toward women in management, attitudes toward female competence, and the prevalence of the male…

Research on women and employment, and on women generally, has had a tendency to focus on either person or situation variables, overlooking behavior as a function of the interaction of both. The omission of situation variables and the concentration on person variables in research on women and employment has serious consequences in drawing policy…

This paper examines the decline in occupational segregation between black and white women over the twentieth century and analyzes how shifts in the occupational structure of the economy and changes in the racial composition of occupational categories contributed to this change. Overall, findings show that the decrease in occupational segregation…

This paper reports on research designed to explore the status of children and the relationship of patterns of child care to social structure and social change. The study is based on interviews with scholars and government officials, an analysis of statistical data and research reports, and visits to day care centers, playgrounds, and other…

Research has confirmed the prevalence of depression in women, based on theoretical explanations that encompass genetic/endocrinological factors, the learned helplessness model, the cognitive model of depression, the effects of marital and occupational roles, and/or social discrimination. Women (N=215) completed a questionnaire which examined…

A survey was conducted to analyze the effects of marriage and children on the work patterns of registered nurses in Maryland, with specific attention to these effects on work continuity and advancement and to which factors modify these effects. Questionnaires asking for complete work histories were mailed to a random sample of registered nurses in…

Family policy makers must first understand changes taking place and factors influencing Australian society so that they can then ease the burden on the disadvantaged poor. Growing affluence, increasing de-institutionalization of women's roles, later marriage, delayed and smaller families and an elongated family life duration are among the trends…

This conference address focuses on the social, ethical, and legal issues surrounding the role and function of the child in today's Western society. Topics discussed include: (1) The dynamic social system--changing social expectations for preschool and school children and establishments, (2) Moral/ethican/legal issues some currently critical…

Social policy influences black wives' employment policies, regardless of occupation. The factors that influence a wife's working come from various social or societal levels--the individual, the family, and the wider society or environment. Individual characteristics supporting the black women's strong attachment to the world of work are her…