Wives’ Relative Income and Marital Quality in Urban China: Gender Role Attitudes as a Moderator

This study attempted to examine the impact of relative income on marital happiness and instability among urban Chinese women. Using a sample of 1104 married women in Beijing, this study found that wives’ relative income was negatively associated with marital happiness, and positively associated with marital instability to a small extent. Traditional breadwinner role attitudes were positively associated with marital happiness, and negatively associated with marital instability. Feminine role attitudes were not associated with any dimension of marital quality. Hierarchical multiple regression indicated that the moderating role of feminine role attitudes on marital happiness was supported. In other words, the negative impact of wives’ income advantage on marital happiness was buffered by egalitarian feminine role attitudes. The implications of the findings for theoretical verification and family-friendly policy making are discussed.