AN EXAMINATION OF SPOUSAL VALUES AS A POTENTIAL MODERATOR OF THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DISCREPANT SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND MARITAL SATISFACTION

 
 
 
 

AN EXAMINATION OF SPOUSAL VALUES AS A POTENTIAL MODERATOR OF THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DISCREPANT SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND MARITAL SATISFACTION

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Title: AN EXAMINATION OF SPOUSAL VALUES AS A POTENTIAL MODERATOR OF THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DISCREPANT SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND MARITAL SATISFACTION
Author: MORRIS, ALISON ENOCH
Description: This investigation defines educational and occupational differences as SES discrepancies. They are described as husband higher SES (HH), wife higher SES (WH), and similar SES (SM). Status incompatibility theories predict marital dissatisfaction when SES discrepancies exist, especially if the wife’s achievements surpass the accomplishments of the husband. The literature suggests that couples who share values have more successful marriages. This investigation examined the role of race on SES discrepancy and marital satisfaction and the role of couples’ values as potential moderators. McAdoo (1978) asserts that the Hollingshead Index is insufficient for assessing the SES among African Americans and that it is more appropriate to modify the calculations. Therefore, this research compared the traditional and the modified versions of the Hollingshead Index with self-reported SES among African Americans. The participants consisted of 199 married couples (53 African American and 146 Caucasian). The independent variables were SES discrepancy and race. The dependent variables were wife and husband marital satisfaction and positive couple agreement. The potential moderator variables were similarity of values. The instruments used in the investigation were the traditional and modified versions of the Hollingshead Index, participant self-reported SES, ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale, Survey of Personal Values, and the Survey of Interpersonal Values. The MANOVA test statistics approached significance for the interaction. The interaction was found to be significant for the dependent variable, husband marital satisfaction. African American husbands in WH marriages reported higher marital satisfaction than African American husbands in either SM or HH marriages. Caucasian husbands in HH marriages reported higher marital satisfaction than Caucasian husbands in either WH or SM marriages. Two regression models for testing the moderator effect were found to be significant among Caucasians. The coefficients for the product terms (WH x Leadership and WH x Support) were significant. Among Caucasian men, the interpersonal values of Leadership and Support moderate the relationship between SES discrepancy and marital satisfaction. Among African Americans, the kappa comparisons between self-reported SES,and both versions of the Hollingshead Index were no better than chance. A follow-up analysis compared the traditional Hollingshead Index with the modified version finding almost perfect agreement.
Permanent Link: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin983301043
http://hdl.handle.net/2374.OX/11390
Date: 2001

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