Final answer:
The varied, and often stressful responsibilities of being a mother are an illustration of what psychologists term as 'Role strain'. This concept refers to the stress experienced when the demands of a single role, such as motherhood, become overwhelming.
Step-by-step explanation:
The responsibilities of being a mother, many of which can be stressful, relate to what psychologists call Role strain. Role strain refers to the stress that occurs when the requirements or demands of a single role become too much for an individual to handle. An example would be a mother who must juggle the various tasks associated with motherhood, such as taking care of the children, managing household chores, possibly maintaining a job, and meeting societal expectations. The stressors involved in each of these tasks and the potential ambiguity of the roles may lead to role strain.
Women often bear greater responsibility for family demands, leading to higher reported levels of stress resulting from work-family conflict, according to research by Gyllensten & Palmer (2005). Being required to fill several roles simultaneously can exceed one's ability to meet all such demands, leading to stress. Mothers, in particular, may experience this as they tend to hold significant responsibility for caring for the home, children, and aging parents. These stressors are a significant area of research, as they differ between men and women, and can lead to negative effects on health, job performance, and family life.
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