The subjective wellbeing of Black self-employed women in South Africa: the role of multiple role strain.

Abstract

A woman’s ability to balance multiple life roles is related to her physical and mental wellbeing, her career performance and success. Through the theoretical framework of Spillover theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore self-employed women’s conceptualisation and experiences of multiple role strain and its role in subjective wellbeing. The study consisted of interviews with 10 self-employed black women in various industries as there is limited research regarding the subjective wellbeing of this demographic group. Thematic analysis showed that while being at the helm of their organisations, they still bore the primary responsibility of caring for and nurturing their families. Central themes from the study were the perceptions of subjective wellbeing and multiple role strain, the roles performed, experiences of conflict, ability to cope, support structures and self-reliance as well as feelings of guilt. The study contributes to the limited knowledge available on the subjective wellbeing of black South African self-employed women, it also provides a unique cultural perspective to the understanding of multiple role strain and subjective wellbeing.