Balancing Work and Family: Equity, Gender, and Marital Satisfaction

Answers as to how working couples successfully balance work and family continue to interest social science researchers. Creating a balance presents couples with numerous challenges that place strain on relationships and marriages. Marital satisfaction is significantly related to how couples negotiate their work-family demands and responsibilities. Gender often influences couples'definitions and perceptions of those demands and responsibilities. This literature review summarizes recent research on marital satisfaction as it relates to couples'division of labor and perceptions of equity and fairness, specifically as it relates to gender ideologies. Adaptive strategies and practical considerations are discussed, and implications for future research are identified including cultural and socioeconomic considerations.