THE IMPACT OF GENDER AND EMPLOYMENT CHOICE ON THE MARITAL SATISFACTION OF DUAL-EARNER COUPLES

This purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between gender roles, a wife’s feelings regarding her employment and marital satisfaction in dual-earner couples. As part of the data analysis, a multiple regression analysis was preformed to determine what impact the level of femininity and level of masculinity had on the marital satisfaction of each group of participants; women who want to work, women who feel they must work, men who perceive their wives want to work and men who perceive their wives feel they must work. Significant results were only seen in the final group (men who perceive their wives feel they must work) where levels of femininity and masculinity accounted for 80% of the original variance. Analyses were also conducted to examine between group differences in regards to levels of femininity, masculinity and marital satisfaction, but no significant results were found.