Hardship and Depression

Abstract

We argue that successfulfulfillment of husbands' and wives' role obligations in the household affects psychological well-being. Ongoing economic hardship-the inability to adequately feed, clothe, and provide medical care for the family-indicates unsuccessful fulfillment of both breadwinner and homemaker obligations. Using a national sample of married couples, we find that economic hardship is increased by low income, low education, being young, and having young children. Economic hardship, in turn, increases both spouses' depression levels. Other factors affect husbands and wives differently. A husband's personal earnings directly decrease his depression, because, we argue, his earnings indicate successful fulfillment of provider obligations. A wife's major role obligation is not provider, but homemaker. We find that a wife's personal earnings do not affect her depression, whereas her education and children do.