Research on Wife/Mother Role Strain in Dual Career Families

. Concurrently with the rising trend in the number of dual career families, the problem of role strain in such families has arisen. In a recent series of scholarly studies (herewith subjected to critical analysis), time management, division of household labor, child care, and perceived guilt have been identified as likely determinants of wife/mother role strain for career women. Prior to 1980, most of the role strain studies have been of the exploratory, case study type. This does not permit generalizing, so a theory of role strain in such situations is still lacking. But those studies have provided useful hypotheses and insight into the limitations of available typology, thus setting the stage for quantitative studies and for the empirical research needed for a detailed understanding of the problems such strain creates and of the solution options available.