Running head: Push And Pull Factors, Psychosocial Challenges
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Date
2014
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Publisher
AAU
Abstract
The study examines the push and pull factors, psychosocial challenges and coping mechanisms
of housemaids in Woreda 09 area of Yeka Sub City in Addis Ababa. Woreda 9 was selected
based on the researcher’s observation, interest and knowledge of the area. Housemaids, brokers,
and government offices were the target population for the study. Finally, four hundred maids
were identified as the total number of maid workers based on the data from the eighty nine
registered agencies in the Woreda. 196 maids were selected as a final target using Krejcie and
Morgan sampling formula. Offices of Woreda Women’s, Children and Youth Affairs and Labour
and Social Affairs and two broker agencies were selected purposely as key informants. The
instruments used to collect information were questionnaire, interview and focus group discussion
guide. The instruments were reviewed by psychology and linguistic experts, pilot test was
conducted, and content validity of coping measurement scale made and five psychology graduate
students rated the relevance, clarity and comprehensiveness of the items. Cronbach's Alpha for
the adapted 16 item coping scale was .667. The researcher and other two trained data collectors
participated in distributing and collecting the questionnaire. Among the 196 respondents
intensive interview was conducted with 13 maids. Focus group discussion was also conducted
consisting of ten participants. The study used thematic analysis to organize the qualitative data
and the quantitative data were coded and processed using Statistical Package for Social Science
(SPSS) version 21.0 to compute descriptive statistics. Personal expectations and impression from
returnees (35 percent), teenager’s responsibility to support their parents by earning money (32
percent), access to better education (19.6 percent), and limited job opportunities in a rural area
(9.2 percent) remain the predominant pushing and pulling factors for adolescent girl’s
movement. Maids faced emotional and moral abuses (64.7 percent), sexual harassment (11
percent) and physical abuse (17.9 percent) at their workplace. Humiliations and abuse, disrespect
and embarrassments affected maid’s psychological health. Maids used different methods to cope
their challenges and positive reappraisal, seeking social support and problem solving are the
three predominant methods of coping that the respondent maids used. In fact the problem is
serious and that the attention given to the problem by different stakeholders is, on the whole,
limited. Hence, integrated effort of civil societies and government sectors is needed to minimize
the psycho social challenges of maids
Description
Keywords
Housemaid, Psychosocial Challenge, Coping