KUALA LUMPUR: A study on the well-being of highly educated housewives found that many are happy being full-time homemakers despite having long professional careers.

Researcher Ila Nursalida Amran said the study involved 20 respondents, including seven with PhDs, most of whom had worked in professional roles such as research officers and lecturers for at least six years.

"All the highly educated housewives who became my respondents have been full-time homemakers for between three and 13 years," she said.

She explained there were two main reasons for leaving their professional jobs. External factors included family needs, such as caring for children with health issues or accommodating a husband's career.

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"For example, a child's health problems or a husband's career could limit them from continuing to work," she said.

Internal factors involved religious beliefs, personal principles, and individual choice.

"For example, they understand the responsibility of a wife to support her husband, and this is related to the religious values within each of them," she added.

Ila said highly educated housewives had a different mentality, better communication skills, and clearer goals than other housewives.

"It's not just their mentality; they also have better communication skills," she said. "In addition, they have a different sense of direction as housewives. This is what maintains their well-being to continue as homemakers."

She also noted that financial needs were not a priority for these women. "Highly educated women also do not make family financial factors a priority for becoming full-time housewives," she said.