Fair vs. Equal Role Relations in Dual-Career and Dual-Earner Families: Implications for Family Interventions

Abstract

Seventy dual-career and 42 dual-earner couples participated in a study designed to assess the influence of perception of equity, role relations and family type on marital and individual adjustment. Equity was found to be a significant factor affecting adjustment for both husbands and wives, while role relations was a significant factor only for wives. Dual-career and dualearner families did not differ in likelihood to report equity or degree of overload. Husbands and wives did not differ in likelihood to report equity, but wives reported a significantly greater degree of overload. Results are discussed in terms of clinical intervention with these families.