Earner Status, Marital Satisfaction, and Division of Childcare among Mexican American and Caucasian Couples

ABSTRACT

This study explores marital satisfaction, division of child tasks, and satisfaction with the division of childcare outcomes among low-income Caucasian and Mexican American (MA) couples with young children. Participants were 521 California couples, nearly three-fourths MA. Using a series of regression models to examine how ethnicity/nativity status, earner status (dual or single) and gender were related to each outcome variable; results showed that fathers generally, single-earner couples generally, dual-earner MA fathers, and MA mothers in couples with Mexican nativity were happier in their relationships. Fathers in dual-earner relationships were more involved in childcare tasks than their single-earner counterparts among Caucasians, but gender, ethnicity, and nativity differences were related to parental dissatisfactions with how childcare tasks were divided. Multivariate regression models adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic status factors changed results very little, except earner status and marital satisfaction were no longer associated. Discussion focuses on couple dynamics of sharing work and parenting roles, MA values, and implications for clinical work and future research.

KEYWORDS:

• Mexican American
• dual earners
• marital satisfaction
• family work
• nativity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Beatrix Capistrant

Beatrix Capistrant, a social and behavior scientist, is an Assistant Professor at Smith College, School for Social Work. Their work focuses on how family caregiving is associated with the caregiver’s mental and physical health.

M. Kline Pruett

M. Kline Pruett, a clinical psychologist, is the Maconda Brown O’Connor Chair at the Smith School for Social Work. Dr. Kline Pruett’s interests revolve around couple relationships, coparenting, and the promotion of healthy family development during life transitions, especially separation and divorce.

S. Rivera

S. Rivera, a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, focuses her clinical practice on a wide range of clinical issues from an anti-oppression lens to create an affirming space for LGBTQIA clients, as well as persons holding a diverse range of racial, ethnic, and spiritual identities.

P. Gilette

P. Gilette is a developmental psychologist and a senior data analyst and coordinator of multiple large data initiatives across University of California, Berkeley.

C. P. Cowan

C. P. Cowan is an Adjunct Professor Emerita of Psychology at University of California, Berkeley. Her research and clinical interests center on couple, parent-child, and family relationships and marital and child development.

P. A. Cowan

P. A. Cowan is a Professor Emeritus of Psychology at University of California, Berkeley. His research and clinical interests center on family systems and children's development. Drs. Pruett and Cowans have worked together on an intervention/research program Supporting Father Involvement for over 20 years.