Profiles of higher earning wives in Hong Kong and the implications for marital satisfaction.
Higher earning wives are emerging as a global phenomenon; however, the profiles of higher earning wives and the implications for marital satisfaction remain unknown in Hong Kong. On the basis of a representative household survey of 689 Hong Kong Chinese couples in 2012, this study aimed to explore the profiles of higher earning wives in Hong Kong and examine the effect of wives' income advantage on the couples' marital satisfaction. Results indicated that higher earning wives were clustered into 2 groups. One group of higher earning wives was older, was better educated, held managerial and professional jobs, and lived in high-income families compared with lower earning wives. The other group of higher earning wives was not well educated, held nonprofessional jobs, and lived in low-income families. Higher earning wives reported similar marital satisfaction with lower earning wives as well as their husbands. However, higher earning wives with nonprofessional jobs and from low-income families reported lower life and marital satisfaction than did those with better socioeconomic status. The implications of these findings are discussed.
a Department of Social Work , Renmin University of China , Beijing , China.
Huiping
H
Zhang
Frances Yik Wa
FY
Law
Debao
D
Hu
Susan
S
Fan
Paul Siu Fai
PS
Yip
D000328:Adult; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008393:Marriage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012649:Self Concept; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018454:Spouses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014931:Women, Working / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult