Happiness in Single- and Dual-Earner Families: The Effects of Marital Happiness, Job Satisfaction, and Life Cycle

Using 1978 1980 1982 and 1983 National Opinion Research Center General Society Survey data this paper investigates the causes of happiness and unhappiness among housewives husbands of housewives working wives and husbands of working wives. Results show that marital happiness and job satisfaction interact to produce global happiness in dual-earner homes but not in single-earner ones. Stage of the life cycle plays an important role in determining happiness for men but not for women. For all 4 groups marital happiness is the most important determinant of overall happiness and job satisfaction is the most important determinant of unhappiness. The interaction effects of work and marriage on happiness vary by the wifes work status but are nearly identical for working women and men. Husbands of working wives are more likely to be very happy when there are no children in the home. The stage of life cycle did not have an important effect on the happiness of wives; the absence of an effect for women suggests that the positive and negative aspects of childbearing cancel each other out providing no effect on global happiness. Investigators should examine the role of health friendships and leisure on the happiness of the 4 groups. Overall the models that account for happiness differ for housewives working wives husbands of housewives and husbands of working wives. (authors modified)