The Sharing of Family Tasks and Role Strain in the Commuter Marriage
The Sharing of Family Tasks and Role Strain in the Commuter Marriage
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Date
1984
Authors
Spruill, Jane Woodley
Advisor
Anderson, Elaine A.
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the husband - wife
sharing of family tasks and the presence of role strain in a
selected sample of commuter marriages. Thirty-nine commuter couples
located geographically throughout the United States participated in
the study.
The mean score of the sharing of family tasks was 2.99 which
indicated that family tasks in commuter couples were shared
equally. However in examining tasks individually, wives seemed to
have more responsibility. The correlation between the length of
marriage when the commute began and role strain was significant.
The distance of the commute and role strain did not correlate. No
significant difference was found among groups based upon how often a
couple reunites and how they shared travel time. There was also no
significant difference between those individuals with dependent
children and those without dependent children, although there was
some indication that role strain was higher for individuals with
preschool children.
It was concluded that commuter couples may be nontraditional in
choosing their lifestyle but they still seem somewhat traditional in
the sharing of family tasks. An established relationship between
spouses is important if a couple is contemplating commuting. The
distance of the commute and how often a couple reunites did not seem
to affect the level of role strain. Although t he sharing of travel
time and the stage of the family life cycle indicated no significant
effect on role strain, differences in means indicate t ha t couples
may want to consider these factors in making the decision t o commute.