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Why men shouldn't be the only breadwinners of their families
Traditional gender roles have been shifting over the past few decades, and that’s probably for the best. Not just because society’s expectations for a binary gender system are outdated, but because it might be bad for you.
Research primarily states that having the man in a heterosexual, nuclear family be the sole breadwinner is detrimental to him, causing a decrease in psychological well-being and health.
Conversely, the study also suggests that if women are the sole breadwinners in this situation, the effect is the opposite, as their well beings improved.
Men are at their lowest when they are their families’ only breadwinner. That’s when happiness scores fall to 5% lower and health scores 3.5% lower, on average, than when both partners pitch in equally.
For women, carrying a heavier financial load has the opposite effect. As they earn more, their psychological well-being rises. And when they earn less, they feel worse. Unlike the men, women’s health didn’t seem to be affected by their earning status within the family.
Could it be that the guys whose wives earn almost as much as they do are happier and healthier simply because they have more money or don’t have to work as hard? It seems not. The researchers explored a number of other explanations: age, education, absolute income, and hours worked per week. None accounted for what they were seeing.
Research primarily states that having the man in a heterosexual, nuclear family be the sole breadwinner is detrimental to him, causing a decrease in psychological well-being and health.
Conversely, the study also suggests that if women are the sole breadwinners in this situation, the effect is the opposite, as their well beings improved.
Men are at their lowest when they are their families’ only breadwinner. That’s when happiness scores fall to 5% lower and health scores 3.5% lower, on average, than when both partners pitch in equally.
For women, carrying a heavier financial load has the opposite effect. As they earn more, their psychological well-being rises. And when they earn less, they feel worse. Unlike the men, women’s health didn’t seem to be affected by their earning status within the family.
Could it be that the guys whose wives earn almost as much as they do are happier and healthier simply because they have more money or don’t have to work as hard? It seems not. The researchers explored a number of other explanations: age, education, absolute income, and hours worked per week. None accounted for what they were seeing.
