A Research Proposal on Wive’s Income and Marital Quality

1. Increases in wives† income over time will contribute to increases in marital discord. (Expect strong effect on husbands† report of marital discord.) 2. Increase in wives† income over time will contribute to decreases in marital discord. (Expect husbands and wives to be about the same.) 3. Increases in perceived marital discord over time will contribute to increases in wives income. (Expect marital discord on wives† income stronger for wives than husbands.) Used data from Marital Instability Over the Life Course Study (1991). This was a 4-wave panel study that began in 1980 with random telephone interviews of 2,034 married individuals (not couples), younger than 55 using the clustered random-digit dialing procedure. Of the people called, 65 % completed the survey, 18% refused, and 17% were unreachable after 10 or more callbacks. Respondents were similar to national population of married individuals on age, race, region, household size, presence of children, and home ownership. Attempts to reinterview the same respondents took place in 1983, 1988, and 1992. Successful reinterviews were 78%, 66%, and 58% respectively. A decision was made to use date from 1980-1988 as these years showed the most dramatic change in married women†s employment and earnings. Also, the results of the 1992 interview had slight underreporting of younger, renter, African-American or Hispanic, and those without a college education in 1980. Respondents consisted of a total of 455 women and 316 men who were in a stable marriage from 1980-1988; a first marriage for both spouses. The study was restricted to continuous first marriages because previous evidence suggested relationships between income and marital quality differs depending on marriage order. Remarried families have lower incomes, fewer assets on average. Remarried women are more likely to be employed 40 hours or more per week than continuously married women. Marital discord was measured in three areas: marital instability (12 item scale that taps propensity to divorce), relationship problems (14 problems like easily angered, jealous, moody, not home enough), and marital conflict (assessed the amount and severity of conflict between spouses). Structural equation modeling was used. This allowed the investigation of the directional relationship and testing of the relative strength of each. Study took into account husbands† unemployment and the birth of a child. The model used to test 4 demographic characteristics: children, race, age, yrs of education. They didn†t affect the model substantially or alter conclusions. The average respondent had 14 years of education, was 35 years old, 92% were white, 41% were male. Data does not support either hypothesis 1 or 2. Data does support #3. Wives increased their income over a period of 8 years due to their own perceptions of increased marital discord. Husbands† perception of marital discord didn†t have an effect on wives† income. In 1980 54% wives employed, 96% of husbands. Income of wife is $7277 vs. $40559 for a family. In 1988 69% wives employed, and 94% of husbands. Income for a wife, $9495; and for a family, $42,420. ($ figure is adjusted to reflect 1988 constant dollars.) By 1988, 20% more wives entered the workforce and 10% dropped out. 24% of the husbands experienced some unemployment and 24% had experienced a birth of a child. Earnings gender gap went from 60% to 71%. By the end, women were contributing 30-40% toward the family income. Increases in wives† income do not significantly affect either spouse†s perception of marital discord. Instead increases in marital discord contribute significantly to increases in wives† income by increasing the likelihood that non-employed wives will enter the workforce. It isn†t clear if wives enter the labor force to prepare for divorce or to improve their own lives and perhaps their marriages by seeking additional personal challenges. More women responded than men. Also, if couples would have been interviewed so a clearer picture between spouses response could have been analyzed (couple-level data). Also gender role attitudes of spouses were not included. The role of social class was not taken into consideration. Another item is that the study began 19 years ago, concluding 11 years ago. This country has experienced a bull market and a low unemployment rate.