Many American farmers have faced financial stress in the early
1980s unprecedented since the Depression. Simultaneously, farm wives
have joined the off-farm labor market at rates exceeding urban women.
Since prior research has found different correlates of family
functioning and of external employment for rural and urban families,
this descriptive study of Virginia farm wives (N = 128) investigated
the impact of farm wives' external employment on the functioning of
the farm and the farm family. While the sample did not represent the
total Virginia farm population, it did appear to represent the
financially stressed farm population. A comparison of employed farm
wives (E = 57) and non-employed wives (N = 71) was analyzed to
determine differences. Dependent variables affecting farm functioning
included the farm's debt-to—asset ratio indicating the financial
_ stress level, the wife's mental strain due to economic pressures, and
lifestyle satisfaction. Dependent variables affecting family
functioning were the wife's marital adjustment, psychological well being,
and overall life satisfaction. The results indicated that the
wife's external employment had a significantly negative impact on farm
functioning. Wives working off the farm were more likely to come from
farms with greater financial stress and were less satisfied with the equity factor of their lifestyle satisfaction. While mental strain
was not significantly higher, more than one-third of employed wives
experienced high mental strain. A signficantly negative impact on
family functioning was not found although employed farm wives reported
lower marital adjustment and overall life satisfaction with
proportionately fewer employed farm wives than nonemployed wives
reporting positive psychological well—being.
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