Impact of Domestic Task Involvement toward Parental Stress on Dual Earner Couples

Abstract

Purpose: The prevalence of dual-earner couples in Indonesia, particularly in urban areas, has led to an increase in their roles both at work and in the family. This situation often results in inappropriate domestic task involvement, which in turn affects the stress levels of these couples. Understanding the impact of domestic task involvement on parental stress is crucial for the fields of family studies, psychology, and sociology. Method: The research included 237 respondents obtained using purposive sampling techniques, and the results were analyzed with quantitative methods with criteria for early adulthood, working married couples, having children aged at least six years, and being domiciled in Jabodetabek. Data was collected through a survey using the instruments Subject’s Involvement in Household Chores and Partner’s Involvement in Household Chores for the independent variable and Parental Stress Scale for the dependent variable. Data was analyzed using quantitative methods through multiple regression analysis to test the impact of domestic task involvement on parental stress. Result: The results show that domestic task involvement has a significantly negative impact of 3.4% on low levels of parental stress. The multiple regression test shows the calculated significance level of 0.017 < 0.05. Subject Involvement and Partner Involvement simultaneously have a negative influence on parental stress. Conclusion: The study underscores the pivotal role of collaboration between husband and wife in managing domestic tasks, which can significantly reduce parental stress. These findings not only contribute to the academic discourse but also suggest practical strategies for supporting dual-earner couples in Indonesia.