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TO WORK AND TO LOVE: AN EXAMINATION OF VOCATIONAL AND MARITAL SATISFACTION IN THE DUAL-CAREER COMMUTER MARRIAGE
Abstract
The purpose of this study was twofold. The first was to identify significant differences between the dual-career couple whose work requires a geographic separation and the dual-career couple whose work allows them to maintain one residence. Specific areas measured included general marital satisfaction, the use of parallel communication, attributional patterns, and general vocational satisfaction. In lieu of a face-to-face interview an instrument to elicit views on the marriage, the career, and the commute was utilized. The second purpose of the study was to identify variables that predict vocational and marital satisfaction for the commuting and noncommuting dual-career couples. The sample consisted of 55 commuters (29 women, 26 men) and 55 noncommuters (29 women, 26 men). Research instruments utilized were the Marital Satisfaction Inventory, the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire, the Relationship Style Inventory, and two instruments designed for the study. There were no significant differences between commuters and noncommuters or between men and women on a global measure of marital satisfaction. Commuters were significantly more dissatisfied with time spent together (p = .03) and with affectional communication (p = .05). Commuters' perceptions of marital and parental roles were significantly different, i.e., more nontraditional, from those described by the noncommuters (p = .007). There were no differences between groups on any of the four attributional measures or on a global measure of vocational satisfaction. Noncommuters had a significantly higher proportion of parallel communications (p = .02). When testing the regression equations, marital satisfaction for commuters was best predicted by the parallel communication score (72.11% of the variance, p = .0001). For noncommuters, marital satisfaction was also predicted by parallel communication but to a much lesser degree (13.80% of the variance, p = .009). Vocational satisfaction for both groups was predicted by satisfaction with job security (commuters, 26.92% of the variance, p = .001; noncommuters, 30.44% of the variance, p = .0001).
Subject Area
Psychology
Recommended Citation
GOVAERTS, KATHRYN ANN, "TO WORK AND TO LOVE: AN EXAMINATION OF VOCATIONAL AND MARITAL SATISFACTION IN THE DUAL-CAREER COMMUTER MARRIAGE" (1985). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8516871.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8516871