Husband's Level of Drinking and Egalitarianism in Mexican-American Families

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between husband's level of drinking and his participation in traditionally defined female household duties. A quantity /frequency index of alcohol consumption was used to compare husband's drinking level with participation in child care, household cleaning, buying groceries, and cooking as a measure of egalitarianism in Mexican-American family households. Results show that husbands who abstain from alcohol participate in two of the household duties, cleaning and cooking, at significantly higher levels than either infrequent or frequent drinkers.

Key Words:

• Mexican-American
• Family
• Sex roles
• Alcohol
• Household duties