ABSTRACT
“What do you do?” is probably the single most asked question when making new acquaintances. Indeed, in contemporary America, work behavior and employment history are linked to personal and family identity, access to resources, and prediction of future economic and social success. Most studies of the impact of work on adults confirm that employment has a positive emotional effect for both men and women, and many recent studies emphasize that the majority of adults have little economic choice about working outside of the home (Menaghan & Parcel, 1991). For most families, then, the marketplace holds the keys to both survival and self-respect.
