The Differences in Role Division Between Partners in Long-term Marriages and Their Well-being

Abstract

The study aims were to examine the relationships of 128 elderly couples married longer than 45 years and the role division between the partners, including a comparison of their perceptions of their first 3 years of their marriage with today. The research hypotheses were (a) there will be a change in the couple's perceptions about the traditional roles at the time of their marriage as opposed to today, and (b) men and women who recognize a change in traditional role division will experience better mental well-being than those who do not. The results showed a change in the couple's perceptions about traditional role division during the years of marriage. It was also found that these changes showed a positive correlation to the couple's mental well-being in those couples who recognized the changes.

KEYWORDS:

• gender role orientation
• long-term marriage
• role perceptions
• traditional role division

Notes

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