Longitudinal study of dual-earner couples
Published: 1989
Language: eng
Format: computer file
Subjects: Dual-career families; Longitudinal studies; Work and family
Description: The main purposes of the study were to assess the contribution of subjective experience in three major social roles (i.e. worker, partner, and parent) to stress-related mental and physical health problems in a sample of dual-earner couples and to study the effect of gender on these relationships. This sample was chosen for study because of wide-spread concern that full-time employed dual-earner couples were under extreme stress and at risk for high levels of distress.

The sample consisted of 300 couples drawn randomly from the town lists of two communities in the greater Boston metropolitan area. These towns were selected because they were socio-economically diverse and included a large proportion of working women. Most subjects, male and female, were employed in managerial or professional occupations. Though the level of education ranged widely, most subjects had earned a college degree. The population of these towns is overwhelmingly White, as is the sample for this study.

This was a short-term longitudinal study with three data collections over a two-year period. At each data collection, subjects were interviewed separately in their homes or offices. Interviews covered many aspects of the men and women's lives, including their experiences in their job and family roles, as well as measures of psychological distress. Prior to each interview, participants completed a questionnaire which was mailed back to the researchers. Subjects also completed several handouts during the interview. The scales measured mental and physical health, as well as the rewards of or concerns about the subjects' separate roles as employee, partner, and parent. A seven-page optional questionnaire requesting follow-up information on employment, psychological, and physical health was mailed in November, 1992 and was returned by 76% of the subjects.

The Murray Center holds interviews and questionnaires for all three waves as well as machine-accessible data for the three waves and the optional wave 4 questionnaire.
Notes: Sample characteristics: sample size: 101-500; time: 80s, 90s; race: White; age: 23-29, 30-39, 40-49; number of generations: 1; gender: female male; ses: mixed.

Data collection methods: design: longitudinal; length of data collection: 1-2 years; measures: interview, questionnaire.

Follow-up possible: yes; follow-up available: no.