The psychological consequences of work-family trade-offs for three cohorts of men and women

This research investigates (1) the extent to which work-family trade-offs affect men's and women's self-acceptance and their evaluations of their work opportunities, and (2) whether and how these effects differ by birth cohort. Three cohorts are considered: the "Baby Bust" cohort (born 1960-1970), Baby Boomers (born 1944-1959), and the pre-World War II cohort (born 1931-1943). Data are from the Midlife Development in the United States (MID US), a survey of 3, 000 adults age 25 and older in 1995. Baby Boom women and Baby Bust men who adjusted their employment schedules to accommodate family demands offer significantly worse evaluations of their own work opportunities. Older women and Baby Bust men who adjusted their work schedules have higher self-esteem than their peers who worked continuously. Older men and Baby Boom and Baby Bust women evidenced poorer self-esteem when they cut back on paid employment. Adherence to gender- and cohort-specific role expectations appears to enhance self-evaluations.