Marital Quality and Expressions of Sex Role Over the Transition to Parenthood [microform] PDF Download

Author: E. Jane Ligowski
Publisher: National Library of Canada
ISBN: 9780315060524
Category : Marital quality
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This research used the systems framework to view the family during the transition to parenthood. The impact of the transition on the individual subsystem's sex role expressions and their marital quality was assessed through the examination of thirty-one couples prenatally and immediately after delivery of their first child. Sex role identity, an expression of sex role examined in this study, was measured using Bern's Sex Role Inventory (197*0- A scale assessing the partners' involvement in the work role, the home role and the child care role examined gender role behavior, the other expression of sex role operationalized in this research. Marital quality was quantified through the use of Spanier's (1976) Dyadic Adjustment Scale. The statistical techniques, analysis of variance and Pearson-r correlation determined the relationships between the variables, sex role expressions and marital quality over the transi tion to parenthood. The couple was utilized as the unit of analysis. In general, the findings showed that the transition event impacts more heavily on the individual subsystem than on the couple relationship. Gender role behavior became more traditional for both partners after the birth. There was a demonstration that man's sex role identity moves toward expressiveness, and that this move was important for both their own and their spouse's marital quality. Implications for family life education and possible future research avenues were discussed.