Financial stress and financial management roles: Trajectories of couples' financial disagreements. Issue 4 (23rd July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Morgan, Preston; Lim, HanNa; Washburn‐Busk, Michelle
• Is Part Of: Personal relationships. Volume 28:Issue 4(2021)
• Page Start: 978
• Page End: 997
• Publication Date: 2021-07-23
• Subjects: family stress model -- financial disagreements -- financial management roles -- financial stress -- marital bargaining theory; Interpersonal relations -- Periodicals; 302
• DOI: 10.1111/pere.12393
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1350-4126

Abstract

Abstract: Using the family stress model and marital bargaining theory, we aimed to investigate how financial stress and financial management roles are associated with both partners' (men's and women's) initial levels and rates of changes in financial disagreements over time. To test this, we used dyadic latent growth curve analyses obtained from 2158 German heterosexual couples over four waves or a 6‐year time span from the Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics dataset. Financial stress and discrepant or unclear financial management roles were associated with higher initial financial disagreements in both partners. Only discrepant financial management roles were associated with lesser declines in women's financial disagreement trajectories. Additionally, in the context of greater financial stress, discrepant financial roles were associated with ever higher initial financial disagreements in women. Practitioners working with couples in financial distress should consider exploring the couple's level of financial stress as well as specialized and discrepant views on financial role division.