Economic Stresses on Marriage

This project focused on marriage and the family in modern society through a survey of 916 respondents who were currently married and living in the Indianapolis area. The study used a multistage cluster sample. The sampling frame included Census tracts in the Indianapolis metropolitan statistical area with median household incomes above $4,000. Households were screened for married couples currently living together. One spouse from each household was selected to be interviewed, chosen to match the interviewer’s gender. The final sample included 497 wives and 419 husbands.

The survey was administered through a face-to-face interview in respondents’ homes. Questions covered the respondent’s attitudes about his or her own work, as well as the work of his or her spouse; the respondent’s attitudes about his or her relationship and marriage; reports of disagreements and conflict; attitudes toward religion, child-rearing, and leisure; and background demographics, including parents’ education and occupation.