THE SOCIAL-CONTEXT OF MARRIED WOMENS WORK AND ITS IMPACT ON BLACK HUSBANDS AND WHITE HUSBANDS

In this study, we propose that the meaning given to women's work and the context in which it is embedded determine the impact of women's work on the well-being of husbands. The data come from an urban sample of 264 married Black couples and White couples in the 3rd year of their marriage. Women were allowed to define their own work status and were classified into homemakers, wage earners, and career women. The results indicate that the social context within which women's work is embedded is different for Black husbands and White husbands. Further, we find moderate support for a social contextual framework when examining the relationship between married women's work and the well-being of husbands.