ROLE COMPETENCE AS A DETERMINANT OF ROLE CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN WOMEN

Abstract

The article is devoted to analyzing role competence as a key psychological determinant of overcoming role conflicts in women who combine professional, family, and social roles in the context of contemporary sociocultural transformations. The relevance of the study is driven by increasing demands placed on women amid shifting gender norms, the expansion of their professional participation, and transformations in family models, all of which intensify the risks of inter-role strain. The theoretical analysis is grounded in role theory and conceptualizes role as a multidimensional structure encompassing role repertoire, role flexibility, emotional-value attitudes toward roles, role position, and the locus of role control. Particular attention is paid to the internal coherence of roles and their integration into the system of personal self-regulation. An empirical study conducted on a sample of women of different ages demonstrated that most participants exhibit medium to high levels of role flexibility as an adaptive resource; however, their role repertoire is often insufficiently integrated. A polarization of the locus of role conflict was identified: from the internal type, associated with excessive responsibility, to the external type, accompanied by a sense of external pressure. Such tendencies complicate the formation of balanced role strategies. The findings indicate that role competence contributes to reducing inter-role tension when a balanced locus of control and a coherent role organization of the personality are present. Harmonious role integration ensures constructive mechanisms of role adaptation. The practical significance of the study lies in identifying psychological conditions that support women’s role balance and in the potential application of the results to the development of programs aimed at enhancing role flexibility, integrating the role repertoire, and optimizing strategies for overcoming role conflicts.