DEVELOPMENT OF A TYPOLOGY OF DUAL-EARNER FAMILIES - A WINDOW INTO DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AND WITHIN FAMILIES IN RELATIONSHIPS, ROLES, AND ACTIVITIES

A typology of dual-earner families based on mothers' and fathers' repo rts of work hours, job prestige, role overload, and job involvement wa s developed with a sample of 85 dual-earner couples with school-aged c hildren. Three groups emerged that were distinguished by both between- groups and within-couple differences in the clustering variables: (a) high-status dual-earner families, (b) low-stress dual-earner families, and (c) main-secondary provider families. Group membership was relate d not only to demographic variables (e.g., parental education and inco me) but to marital quality, family roles, and parental monitoring of c hildren's activities. Analyses conducted to replicate the typology rev ealed that similar groups emerged in data collected a year later. Grou p membership was stable over time for all groups except the main-secon dary provider group; this category appears to represent a transitional status for employed mothers.