The Trials and Struggles of Women in the Workforce: Job Satisfaction in the Appalachian Region: Doctoral Dissertation Research

By Kimberly E. Brown

The intent of this survey study that was conducted in Kentucky was to be able to compare employed women who live in an Appalachian Region to working women who live outside in metropolitan areas. The study questioned whether these two groups of women faced diverse types of difficulties, whether their job choices were similarly limited by their job aspirations and whether the equivalent factors were essential to each group in attaining overall job satisfaction. The study had hypothesized that in contrast to women who worked outside of the Appalachian Region, women working in an Appalachian Region would be more likely to experience challenges, less likely to report that their jobs met their job aspirations, and less satisfied with their jobs, but there were no significant differences in these variables based on region.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 31, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514488065

Kimberly E. Brown

Dr. Kimberly Brown, LPCC, CDA, HS-BCP, NCC, is a full-time faculty instructor at Lindsey Wilson College–School of Professional Counseling. She has fourteen years of experience as an early childhood educator. She worked for the state of Kentucky as a family support specialist II. She coordinated the bachelor's and master's program on the LWC–SPC Cumberland, Kentucky campus for six years, where she is the resident faculty supervisor. Her efforts teaching in the counseling and human development program are to ensure that students are prepared for the mental health counseling workforce. She is eager to help students and their communities grow and continue to develop. Courses Taught: Career Education; Counseling Theories & Techniques/Cognitive & Behavioral; Treatment of Mental and Emotional Disorders; Lifecycle Development; Mental Health Administration, Consultation, and Supervision; Multicultural Issues; Psychopathology; Systemic Family Therapy; Practicum, Internship I and II Institutional Affiliations: Assistant Professor/Resident Faculty Supervisor (2013–current) School of Professional Counseling Mental Health Counseling/Lindsey Wilson College–SPC (2005) Counseling Psychology/Argosy University (2013) Cumberland River KMHCA/Region 013 (2012–2014) President Eastern Kentucky Cultural and Civic Organization (2009–present) Parliamentarian Harlan Appalachian Regional Hospital Advisory Council (2006–2012) Board Member Harlan County Chamber of Commerce (2007–present) Member; (2013–2014) VP Kentucky Association of Blacks in Higher Education (2009–present) Member; (2014) New Professional of the Year; (2015–2016) External Affairs Chair Kentucky Counseling Association (2004–present) Member Lindsey Wilson College–IRB Committee Member (2015–present) Lindsey Wilson College–SPC Online Development Task Force (2014–present) Lindsey Wilson College–SPC Regional Admissions Committee Region II (2013–present) Lindsey Wilson College–SPC Retreat Planning Committee (2014–present) Lindsey Wilson College–IRB Committee Member (2015–present) Leadership Harlan County United (2002 graduate: 2003–present) Board Member National Organization for Human Services (2010–present) Founding Member Pine Mountain Community Development Corp. (2009–present) Board Member Tri-Cities Heritage Development Committee (2011–2013) Member

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Copyright © 2016 by Kimberly E. Brown.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2016906780

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-5144-8808-9

                Softcover        978-1-5144-8807-2

                eBook             978-1-5144-8806-5

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Rev. date: 04/25/2016

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CONTENTS

FOREWORD

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Problem

Purpose of the Study

Research Questions

Difficulties Women Face

Types of Jobs and Wage Disparities

Job Satisfaction

Definitions of Terms

Importance of the Study

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Appalachian Culture

Demographics

Work and Educational Attainment in Appalachia

Perceptions of Work

Job Satisfaction

Summary

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

Selection of Subjects

Instrumentation

Methodological Assumptions

Procedures

Research Questions

Hypotheses

Data Processing and Analysis

CHAPTER FOUR

RESULTS

Restatement of the Purpose of the Study

Demographic Characteristics

Types of Jobs Participants Held

Difficulties Women Faced and Job Satisfaction

Research Questions and Findings

Tests of Hypotheses

Summary

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Restatement of the Purpose of the Study

Summary of Research and Findings

Discussion and Interpretation of Findings

Characteristics of the Sample and Population

Types of Jobs Participants Held

Difficulties Women Faced and Job Satisfaction

Implications for Practice

Limitations and Delimitations

Recommendations for Future Research

Summary

APPENDICES

REFERENCES

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

TABLES

1. Study Participants' Demographic Characteristics

2. Comparison of Age and Residence Data from Current Study with Population Data from Ten Sampled Counties

3. Demographic Characteristics: Appalachian Women and Non-Appalachian Women

4. Fields for Women's Jobs

5. Comparison of Job Data from Current Study with Population Data from Ten Sampled Counties

6. Principle Axis Factor Analysis of Job Satisfaction Items, with Promax Rotation

7. Means and Standard Deviations for Job Satisfaction Scales by Region: MANOVA Results

8. Means and Standard Deviations for Job Satisfaction Scales by Presence of Children: MANOVA Results

9. Correlations of Job Satisfaction with Other Job Scales by Region

APPENDICES

A. Job Satisfaction Survey

B. Demographics and Job Survey

C. Recruitment Flyer

D. Informed Consent

E. Permission to Use Survey

F. U.S. Census Data for Type of Women's Work in 10 Kentucky Counties

I

dedicate my work to the people who I have viewed as the greatest inspirations in my life: my maternal grandparents, James E. and Norma (White) Carr; and my paternal grandparents, Herman and Evelyn (Martin) Robinson. I thank God for allowing me to be so blessed to have had them all in my life. They instilled morals and values, as well as a work ethic in everyone in our families. They gave love to all who were around them. We, the many grandchildren running around my maternal grandparents' home in the summers, received the same amount of love, encouragement, and attention. Their kindness and caring nature reached their entire community. I know this because all the neighborhood kids called them Grammy and Granddaddy just as we grandchildren did. My paternal grandparents were both just as loving, routinely putting the interest of others first. People in their neighborhood referred to them as Aunt Nikki and Uncle Herman; my sisters (Jocelyn and Brooke Brown) and I called them Grandpa Herman and Grandma Nikki. I think about each of you daily, as my love for you all will not diminish.

A special dedication to my nieces and nephews: Jasmine, Janae', Brooklyn, Taylor, MaKayla, Daesha, Rachel, Jayden, Avery, Tevon, RJ, Shemar, and McKenzie. I hope that each of you always aspires to strive for excellence because you all are capable of being anything and doing whatever you set your minds to do. I love you all. 42228.png

FOREWORD

The intent of this survey study turned into a book conducted in Kentucky was to compare working women who live in an Appalachian region with working women who live outside an Appalachian region. The study asked whether these groups of women faced different types of difficulties, whether their job choices were similarly limited by their job aspirations, and whether the same factors were important to each group in attaining overall job satisfaction. Compared with women who were not from an Appalachian region, women from an Appalachian region were more likely to have a partner or spouse and children. The most common jobs the women in both groups held were as administrative assistants or doing library work or in the fields of education, banking, and business. The study had hypothesized that compared with women who worked outside of the Appalachian region, women working in an Appalachian region would be more likely to experience challenges, less likely to report that their jobs met their job aspirations, and less satisfied with their jobs, but there were no significant differences in these variables based on region. However, for Appalachian women, job satisfaction was more strongly positively correlated with having little work burden and liking one's coworkers than for the non-Appalachian women. For the non-Appalachian women, job satisfaction was more strongly positively correlated with fair communication and pay, satisfaction with supervisor, and chances for promotion than for the Appalachian women.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

All throughout my life, I have had many different experiences in my personal, professional, and educational adventures. My experiences, good and bad, have afforded me a multitude of learning and growing opportunities. Also, I have met a plethora of people whom I have had the privilege to serve,