Traditional Gender Role Orientation and Dyadic Coping in Immigrant Latino Couples: Effects on Couple Functioning

Abstract

The main goal of this study was to examine from a systemic‐transactional stress perspective (Bodenmann, 1997) whether a more traditional gender role orientation may affect psychological aggression and relationship satisfaction directly and indirectly by decreasing supportive (partner's efforts to help the other partner cope with stress) and common dyadic coping (partners' conjoint efforts to cope with stress) among first‐generation immigrant Latino couples. Structural equation modeling results from 104 couples indicate that the extent to which Latino men hold traditional gender role views and the extent to which those views differ from their female partners' may increase the risk for psychological aggression and relationship dissatisfaction directly, but also indirectly by reducing the couple's common dyadic coping and to some extent the male supportive coping. Latinas' traditional gender role views do not relate to either partner's psychological aggression or relationship satisfaction. The article discusses gender differences and research and clinical implications.