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Emotion Work Performance and Division in Married Couples EMOTION WORK PERFORMANCE AND DIVISION IN MARRIED COUPLES: LINKS TO MARITAL SATISFACTION by LYNDSEY RYAN HJELMSTAD (Under the Direction of David W. Wright) ABSTRACT Using data from 99 married couples, this study examines the relationship between emotion work performance and marital satisfaction. In order to test for actor and partner effects simultaneously while controlling for the interdependence of dyadic data, the actor-partner interdependence model (Kenny & Cook, 1999) was used. Path analysis results indicated that emotion work contribution of husbands and wives, as well as their perception of their partners’ emotion work contribution, predicted both partners’ marital satisfaction. Partners’ satisfaction with the division of emotion work within the marriage also emerged as a statistically significant mediating variable. Gender constraints revealed that emotion work appears to be a more salient predictor of wives’ marital satisfaction than husbands’ marital satisfaction. Strengths and limitations of the present study are discussed, and directions for future research are presented. INDEX WORDS: Emotion work, Division of labor, Relationship satisfaction, Married couples, Actor-partner interdependence model EMOTION WORK PERFORMANCE AND DIVISION IN MARRIED COUPLES: LINKS TO MARITAL SATISFACTION by LYNDSEY RYAN HJELMSTAD B.S., Central Michigan University, 2008 A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF SCIENCE ATHENS, GEORGIA 2013 © 2013 Lyndsey Ryan Hjelmstad All Rights Reserved EMOTION WORK PERFORMANCE AND DIVISION IN MARRIED COUPLES: LINKS TO MARITAL SATISFACTION by LYNDSEY RYAN HJELMSTAD Major Professor: David W. Wright Committee: Lee Johnson J. Maria Bermúdez Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia May 2013 iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It would not have been possible to write this thesis without the help and support of the generous people surrounding me. I owe my deepest gratitude to these people for their inspiration, guidance, and patience throughout this process. First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge my major professor, David Wright. Since the very beginning of my graduate program, he has played an instrumental role in my academic and personal growth. He has offered limitless insights into the world of academia, taught me about professional development, and encouraged my autonomy as an emerging professional. Through scaffolding, he has allowed me to create successively higher standards for myself as I move through each stage of professional development. He has pushed me to perform at my best, while simultaneously giving me permission to know my own limits and achieve balance in my life. I anticipate continued growth under his advisement during the next milestone in my academic program. My committee members, Lee Johnson and Maria Bermúdez, have also contributed greatly to my professional and personal growth over the past few years. Not only have they shared their valuable perspectives on succeeding in academia, but they have also given me constant reassurance through moments of doubt, patience in times of hardship, and unconditional encouragement at each turn. I would also like to acknowledge Catherine Walker O’Neal for her advisement throughout completion of this thesis. She has added considerably to my knowledge of statistical analyses and the research process. Without her helping me to strengthen these tools and v generously allowing me the opportunity to use her data project, I would not have been able to produce this thesis. Finally, I must acknowledge the strong network of family, friends, and colleagues who have encouraged, strengthened, and nourished me throughout this process. My friends and colleagues constantly energize and inspire me, while always helping me stay grounded and balanced in personal and professional domains. My family has endorsed my educational goals long before I felt capable of achieving them, and their support has ensured this achievement. In particular, I would like to acknowledge my father, who was, is, and will always be, my “greatest champion.” vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................1 2 LITERATURE OVERVIEW ........................................................................................4 Division of Household Labor ....................................................................................4 Emotion Work ...........................................................................................................7 Limitations of Previous Research ............................................................................13 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................17 3 DESIGN AND METHODS ........................................................................................18 Research Questions .................................................................................................18 Sample .....................................................................................................................20 Procedure .................................................................................................................21 Variables ..................................................................................................................22 Measures ..................................................................................................................24 Analyses ..................................................................................................................25 4 RESULTS ....................................................................................................................31 Univariate Analyses ................................................................................................31 vii Correlation Analyses ...............................................................................................32 Path Analyses ..........................................................................................................33 5 DISCUSSION ..............................................................................................................43 Summary of Path Analysis Results .........................................................................43 Strengths of Present Study ......................................................................................47 Limitations of Present Study ...................................................................................49 Directions for Future Research ................................................................................51 Conclusion ...............................................................................................................52 REFERENCES ..............................................................................................................................53 APPENDICES ...............................................................................................................................60 A Emotion Work Scale ....................................................................................................60 B Satisfaction with Division of Emotion Work Scale .....................................................61 C Relationship Assessment Scale ....................................................................................62 D Demographics Scale .....................................................................................................63 viii LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1: Descriptive Statistics for Study Variables .......................................................................32 Table 2: Pearson Correlation Coefficients of Path Model Variables .............................................33 ix LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1: The Actor-Partner Interdependence Model ....................................................................26 Figure 2: Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (Direct Effects Model) of Emotion Work Contribution and Relationship Satisfaction. ..................................................................28 Figure 3: Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (Direct Effects Model) of Perception of Partner’s Emotion Work Contribution and Relationship Satisfaction. .........................28 Figure 4: Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model (APIMeM) of Emotion Work Contribution, Satisfaction with Emotion Work Division, and Relationship Satisfaction ....................................................................................................................29 Figure 5: Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model (APIMeM) of Perception of Partner’s Emotion Work Contribution, Satisfaction with Emotion Work Division, and Relationship Satisfaction ...............................................................................................30 Figure 6: Results from the Path Analysis on APIM Direct Effects
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