Effects of Gender Role Socialization on Career Couples’ Marital Satisfaction in Kericho County, Kenya

Abstract

As individuals we want so much from life. We want success in our endeavors and marriage is one of it. The career family is an emergent family form in our society that offers new sources of satisfaction and at the same time presents new types of problems which threaten marital satisfaction. Gender roles socialization can be blamed for the stereotypical norms associated with various gender-related roles, in which men prioritize work domain whilst women prioritize family responsibilities. This study sought to explore the effect of gender role socialization on career couples’ marital satisfaction with an aim of coming up with interventions that could enhance marital satisfaction. The study was guided by the following objectives: To explore the attitude of career couples towards gender roles, to explore the relationship between gender role socialization with marital satisfaction and determine the contribution of the gender role predictors to marital satisfaction.  The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive study design with a sample of 357 career couples. The theoretical framework adopted by the study is Gender Theory by Pleck 1977 and Feminist Theory by Brown, 1994. The study found that the majority of the participants are for more egalitarian roles where both husband and wives are considered equal (mean 3.15). This was followed by the opinion that ‘both husbands and wife should be given opportunities to pursue careers’ (2.79). The results reveal that marital satisfaction of career couples in Kericho is significantly correlated with gender roles socializations for example there is a moderate correlation between marital roles and parental roles r=0.691**p< 0.001). The correlation between marital roles and employment roles is a weak one at 0.368* p< 0.05. The correlation between marital roles and educational roles close to zero r= 0.116* p< 0.05 and significant at p= 0.028. In addition, three independent variables contributed significantly to prediction of marital satisfaction among career couples: parental roles (beta =.233), employment roles (beta =.126), social-interpersonal roles (beta = -.147) p<0.05. The correlations of marital roles and educational roles with marital satisfaction were .002 and -.077 both of which were not significant (p>0.05). These findings imply that the counselor can help the couple assess their personal restrictions or devaluations based on the current sex-role expectations. The study recommended that counseling, workshops, symposia, conferences should be organized regularly for career couples on effect of attitude on gender roles and gender roles socialization on marital satisfaction.

Keywords: Gender roles socialization, attitudes, career couples, marital satisfaction