Researchers in the area of depression, aware that women are more likely than men to be depressed, have examined women's marital and employment status to explain this phenomenon. However, the meanings, perceptions, and situations encountered within marital and work roles also contribute to emotional distress. The traditional sex role explanation of depression is insufficient for full-time working mothers, because these women experience the most intense role conflict between work and family; therefore, clarification of their stress is valuable. Research on dual career marriages has generally investigated the mother and her conflicts, as well as the effects of mothering and work on her children or husband. Research about the father's role in dual career marriages is needed. An exploration of the husband's and the wife's roles in work and family spheres and the relationship of these roles to mental health is essential to understanding married women's greater susceptibility to depression. Only by defining the conditions and meanings of women's roles within the family, and the effect of their husbands' support, can a view of emotional distress that solely emphasizes women's internal conflicts be transcended. (Author/NRB)