Coping strategies and marital satisfaction of dual-career couples with children

This study examined the relationship between coping strategies and marital satisfaction of dual-career couples with children. Also, this work explored whether there were gender differences in coping strategies and marital satisfaction and if so, which coping strategies predict marital satisfaction in dual-career parent females, males, and couples.The sample population consisted of 50 dual-career couples with children. The subjects were drawn from an urban neighborhood, a suburban school district and an urban church. The subjects were selected from these environments in order to obtain a sample representing a variety of occupations. The occupations represented included business, health, education, law, and social services. The research instruments used in this study included the Ways of Coping Questionnaire and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale.The statistical analyses used were Pearson r correlations, t-tests, and stepwise multiple regression. Results demonstrated a significant relationship between coping strategies and marital satisfaction in dual-career couples with children. Also, significant gender differences in coping strategies were determined. However, there were no significant gender differences in regard to marital satisfaction. Two Coping Subscales were found to be significant in predicting marital satisfaction in females. Low scores on confrontive coping and escape avoidance predicted higher marital satisfaction in females. The Coping Subscales of escape avoidance was found significant in predicting marital satisfaction in males. Lower scores on escape avoidance predicted higher scores on marital satisfaction. This result should be interpreted with caution, because the effect size was small. Escape avoidance was also found significant in predicting marital satisfaction in couples. Lower scores on escape avoidance predicted higher scores on marital satisfaction.