Job-related stress in academia: the role of relative deprivation, hours worked for different tasks, and children

We examine the role of income relative deprivation, hours worked for different tasks, and children in the job-related stress experienced by academics. Males' job-related stress increases when their incomes are lower than that of their peers', but females are not susceptible to such income comparisons. Job-related stress decreases with hours spent on research provided the hours are not excessive, but hours spent in teaching and on administrative tasks always increase job-related stress. The presence of young children increases job-related stress only for females, and children largely explain the observed gender differences in job-related stress.