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The Moderating Role of Gender and Gender Role Attitudes on the Link Between Spousal Support and Marital Quality

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Abstract

Researchers who examine the relation of gender role attitudes to division of household labor and marital quality often overlook its relation to emotional spousal support. Moreover, research on gender and marriage often ignores how gender role attitudes may explain the link between spousal support and marital quality. Secondary data analyses on a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults examined the interaction of gender and gender role attitudes on spousal support and marital quality. Emotional spousal support predicted better marital satisfaction and less conflict for traditional women and egalitarian men, whereas both instrumental and emotional spousal support predicted better marital satisfaction for egalitarian women and traditional men. These results suggest that within, as well as between, gender differences are important for understanding the contribution of spousal support to perceived marital quality.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Nancy Grote for her comments on an earlier draft, and Heidi Bissell for her assistance on preliminary analyses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Kent State University, P.O. Box 5190, Kent, OH, 44242-0001, USA

    Kristin D. Mickelson & Sharon T. Claffey

  2. Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Stacey L. Williams

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  1. Kristin D. Mickelson
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  2. Sharon T. Claffey
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  3. Stacey L. Williams
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Correspondence to Kristin D. Mickelson.

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Mickelson, K.D., Claffey, S.T. & Williams, S.L. The Moderating Role of Gender and Gender Role Attitudes on the Link Between Spousal Support and Marital Quality. Sex Roles 55, 73–82 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-006-9061-8

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