Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-1990

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Agriculture and Extension Education

Major Professor

Roy R. Lessly

Committee Members

Randol G. Waters, Etta Mae Westbrook

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to gain knowledge concerning farm women in Hawkins County and how they perceived their home, farm, employment, and community responsibilities and activities. Personal characteristics studied included marital status, off-farm employment, age, education, residency, and farm and home activities. Data were obtained from 202 Hawkins County farm women randomly selected from 4,461 names listed by the Agricultural Stabilization Conservation Service as having a farm in Hawkins County. The instrument was developed specifically for this study. Information was secured by telephone interviews. The chi square test, Pearsonian correlation coefficient, Scheffe's Post Hoc analysis. Reliability analysis scale, and Crombach's Alpha coefficients were the statistical tests used to determine strength of relationships between variables. A probability level of .05 was considered as being statistically significant.

Major findings included:

1. The largest percentages of surveyed Hawkins County farm women were middle-aged (35 to 54 years old) or older (55 years and over), were employed in off-farm work, had a high school or better education, and had no more than one child living at home.

2. Hawkins County farm women who were employed off the farm were more likely than those not employed off the farm to indicate they did not have adequate time for themselves, their spouses, their family, or to attend or participate in community activities or volunteer programs.

3. Hawkins County farm women 55 years and older were more likely than younger farm women to indicate they had adequate time for them selves and their families.

4. Hawkins County farm women who had a college education were more likely than those with less education to indicate they had less time for their families or themselves.

5. Hawkins County farm women not employed off the farm took more responsibilities than farm women employed off the farm for meal preparation and cleanup, laundry chores, and light housekeeping. Off-farm employed farm women shared more home and farm tasks especially in child related activities such as babysitting and supervisions of children..

6. The more farm and home activities that Hawkins County farm women were involved in, the lower the number of community and volunteer activities in which they participated.

7. Full-time employed Hawkins County farm women were more interested in receiving time management and retirement planning materials than were farm women who were employed part-time or not employed off the farm.

8. Hawkins County farm women 54 years and younger were more interested in receiving information on family nutrition and diet, time management, financial planning, stress management, parenting skills, and computerizing farm records than were farm women over 55 years old.

9. Full-time employed Hawkins County farm women were more dissatisfied with their lifestyles than were farm women who were employed part-time or not employed off the farm.

10. Hawkins County farm women who were middle-age, 35 to 54 years old, were more dissatisfied with their lifestyles than farm women 34 years and younger and farm women 55 years and older.

Implications and recommendations were also included in this study.

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