Relationships between Tennessee homemakers' employment status, household size, club membership and extension contacts and their use of clothing construction practices

The major purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the use of recommended clothing construction practices by homemakers and their employment status, household size, membership in an Extension Homemaker Club, selected personal and family characteristics and contacts with Extension. Data were obtained from the 1986 clothing construction survey through telephone or face to face interviews. Five hundred and forty eight homemakers in 29 Tennessee counties were surveyed. The “n^th” number technique of random sampling was used to select respondents from counties EHC mailing lists, telephone directories and other available sources.

The chi square (x²) test and the one-way analysis of variance F test was used to determine the relationships between selected independent and dependent variables. The .05 probability level was accepted as being statistically significant. Data were analyzed using the University of Tennessee Computing Center facilities.

Major findings included the following:

1. As the number of homemakers using the recommended clothing construction practices increased, so did the number of office visits made, telephone calls made. Extension clothing publications received, mass media contacts, special interest meetings attended and Extension home-maker club meetings attended increase.

2. Extension homemaker club membership was significantly related to the homemakers use of 12 of the 21 recommended clothing construction practices.

3. Employment status was not significantly related to the homemakers use of 20 of the 21 recommended clothing construction practices.

4. Homemakers' household size was not significantly related to the homemakers use of 19 of the 21 recommended clothing construction practices.

5. Homemakers' age and place of residence was not significantly related to the homemakers use of recommended practices.

6. As the number of garments made increased, the number of recommended practices used by homemakers also increased. Homemakers who sewed for quality construction, good fit, enjoyment and to save money tended to use recommended practices at a higher rate.

Implications were drawn and recommendations for further study were made.