The Mediating Effects of Marital Intimacy and Work Satisfaction in the Relationship between Husbands’ Domestic Labor and Depressive Mood of Married Working Women

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships between the husbands’ domestic labor and marital intimacy, work satisfaction, and depressive mood in married working women. We used the sixth (2016) dataset from the Women and Families Panel Survey conducted by the Korean Women’s Development Institute (KWDI). The subjects were 791 married working women who lived with a wage-earner husband and who did not have a housework assistant. The correlations between variables were measured and the fit of the structural equation model was assessed. We used a mediation model in which the husbands’ domestic labor affected the depressive mood of married working women through mediation of marital intimacy and work satisfaction. Bootstrapping was used to verify the significance of the indirect effects of the mediating variables. Husbands’ domestic labor had a significant effect on married women’s marital intimacy and work satisfaction, but no significant direct effect on depressive mood. Marital intimacy had a significant effect on work satisfaction, and these two variables were significantly related to reductions in the depressive mood score. Husbands’ domestic labor was found to be a complete mediator of depressive mood through its effects on marital intimacy and work satisfaction. Husbands’ domestic labor did not directly reduce married working women’s depressive mood scores, but instead reduced them indirectly through effects on marital intimacy and work satisfaction.

Faktor Determinan Fungsi Keluarga dan Keintiman Keluarga pada Keluarga Lansia Muslim

“…Suami pekerja rumah tangga, dalam suatu penelitian di Korea Selatan, didapatkan merupakan mediator terjadinya depresi pada istri melalui dampaknya pada keintiman pernikahan (Choi et al, 2020). Penelitian pada 154 pasien muda dengan kanker payudara, didapatkan bahwa kualitas hidup sub skala kesejahteraan fisik, kesejahteraan sosial, dan kesejahteraan fungsional berkorelasi secara signifikan dengan keintiman pernikahan.…”

Work–Family Conflict and Depressive Symptoms of Married Working Women in Korea: The Role of Marriage Satisfaction and Organizational Gender Discrimination Climate

“…Gender discrimination climate in the workplace was also related to depression among married working women ( Batool, 2020 ; Choi et al, 2020 ; Kim et al, 2020a , 2020b ; Pavalko et al, 2003 ). According to a longitudinal study that explored at the relationship between workplace discrimination and women's physical and emotional health, women who perceived workplace discrimination had a high degree of psychological distress ( Pavalko et al, 2003 ).…”

“…According to the studies marriage satisfaction based on the intimacy between husband and wife could influence depression among married women employees ( Yuan et al, 2022 ; Wang & Peng, 2017 ). The studies on the negative effect of gender discrimination in the workplace on the level of depression among married women employees include those by Batool (2020) and Choi et al (2020) . Therefore, it can be assumed that the depression of married working women is related to work–family conflict, and this relationship can be regulated by marriage satisfaction and organizational gender discrimination climate.…”

Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Integrated Behavioral Couples Therapy on Intimacy and Family Functioning in Divorce-seeking Couples

“…Intimacy is the degree of closeness and support that each of the spouses feels and expresses. A person who experiences a higher level of intimacy can present themselves more desirably in a relationship and express their needs more effectively to their partner or spouse [6]. Luo et al [7] indicated that today's couples experience pervasive and severe problems in establishing and maintaining intimate relationships, while intimacy between spouses is one of the main keys to a successful and long-lasting marriage and its absence can cause marital failure.…”