A dyadic study of the spouses’ assessment of the division of domestic labour and marital satisfaction

ABSTRACT In this study, we tested a model connecting the spouses’ assessment of the division of domestic labour and their marital satisfaction. The suggested model was tested in a dyadic study using a sample of heterosexual couples living in Israel and having at least one child (n = 479). The spouses assessed the division of domestic labour in four domains: traditionally feminine chores, traditionally masculine chores, childcare, and emotion work. Husbands who reported doing fewer traditionally feminine chores and less emotion work were more satisfied with their marriage. Wives who reported doing fewer traditionally masculine chores and less childcare and emotion work were more satisfied with their marriage. Simultaneously, husbands who reported doing fewer masculine chores and less emotion work tended to have wives with higher levels of marital satisfaction. Wives who reported doing fewer feminine chores and less emotion work tended to have husbands with higher levels of marital satisfaction. Husbands and wives reported similar levels of marital satisfaction, and their levels of marital satisfaction were strongly positively correlated. The obtained results indicated the existence of two mechanisms connecting the division of domestic labour to marital satisfaction: an egoistic mechanism and the gratitude mechanism.