Aging, sex-role orientation, and adjustment: a three-generations study of Mexican Americans

The effect of sex-role orientation on psychological well-being was investigated with data from a three-generations study of Mexican Americans. More specifically, we examined the hypothesis that less traditional sex-role orientation is positively related to psychological well-being (other things equal) and that this relationship is stronger among the older than among younger generations. Traditional sex-role orientation was positively related to depression among older women, lending partial support to the hypothesis. Among men, however, traditional sex-role orientation was not related to well-being in the older generation but was related to both depression and life satisfaction in the younger generation. The interactive effects of marital status and retirement status with sex-role orientation were also examined but were not found to be significant.