Dual Career Couples with Impact on Marital Quality and Career Satisfaction in Peshawar, Pakistan

Abstract

Since fifty years or so, many studies had examined the interplay between occupational role and familial responsibilities in dual career couples, however the phenomena is yet to be explored in the context of Pakistan. This study was planned with the aim to explore the impact of role conflict (work to family and family to work conflict) on marital quality and career satisfaction of duel career couples. The study also aimed to explore that to what extent coping mechanisms are associated with role conflict, marital quality, career satisfaction and how these are experienced by respondents having various demographic features. Data was collected from 388 respondents who were selected through purposive sampling while using snowball technique in the targeted 6 public sector universities and 3 hospitals in the city of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan. A group of theories was reviewed including role strain, theory of role differentiation, theory of asymmetric permeability and expansion/scarcity hypotheses to guide this study. A sequential explanatory design of Mixed Method Research (MMR) was used to collect quantitative data by using a questionnaire and qualitative data through in-depth interviews. Statistical analysis was performed through Chi-square test, Regression analysis, T-test, ANOVA and correlation for exploring association and relation between the selected variables. A significant and negative association was found between family to work conflict (FWC) and marital quality while highly significant and negative associations were obtained with career satisfaction. Similarly, work to family conflict (WFC) was found highly significant and negatively associated with all the items loaded on the components of marital quality while found in less significant association with items loaded on the components of career satisfaction. It was also found through regression analysis that family to work and work to family conflict was significantly while negatively directed with marital satisfaction, communication, togetherness and positively related with marital disagreements. Furthermore, family to work conflict was significantly and negatively associated with career happiness, motivation and job involvement. Similarly, role conflict was found in significant and negative association with coping mechanisms while a significant positive association was obtained between coping mechanisms, marital quality and career satisfaction. It was concluded from the data obtained through T-test and ANOVA that role conflict, marital quality and career satisfaction was experienced differently by respondents having various demographic characteristics. Additionally, the data collected from the study participants through indepth interviews in the form of narratives were found in consonance with our statistical findings. The themes of the study were including 1) Role balancing is difficult; 2) Family stresses have negative implications on the job; 3) We have a happy marriage, but role overload is problematic; 4) Child care is difficult to manage with occupational role; 5) We have little but quality time together: 6) Job schedule is difficult while family responsibilities are flexible; 7) Disagreements erupts but we respond with coping; 8) Friendly communication is helpful: 9) Coping mechanisms are very useful. Considering the findings obtained from all the statistical models and in-depth interviews that family to work and work to family conflict was significantly reducing the level of marital satisfaction, marital togetherness and marital communication while causing marital disagreements in dual career couples. Likewise, family related problems and work induced stresses had certain negative outcomes for career happiness, motivation and job involvement while coping mechanisms positively negotiate the carryover of role permeability in dual career couples. Our findings support the major assumptions of the role strain theory and scarcity hypotheses by suggesting that role conflict significantly mitigate the marital quality and career satisfaction of dual career couples. Likewise, our findings supported the theory of asymmetric permeability by outlining that work related stresses were more likely permeating to cause unrest in the family because the family domain was more flexible to absorb stresses than work domain. It is recommended that medical and academic institutions should specifically formulate policies to address issues and problems of dual career couples so that their potential may be utilized for the betterment of organisations, families and society. These include flexible and favorable recruitment policies, provision of baby care and counseling centers within these settings.