"Gender, Gender Role and Crossover: How Partners in Dual-Career Couples React to Work-Family Conflict"

Abstract

Given that families have increasingly involved two wage earners (i.e., dual career couples), it is important for work-family research to account for the fact that the work-family interface often involves two closely-related individuals. In addition, there continues to be a need for work-family theory and research to involve gender-related variables to further our understanding of work-family issues and their consequences. This paper examines the influence of gender and gender role orientation on work-family conflict and job satisfaction for dual career couples. Data were collected via daily surveys from both partners in each relationship. Results indicate that the degree to which work-family conflict reduces job satisfaction depends on the individual’s and his/her partner’s gender role orientation. Implications for future research are also discussed.