No abstract

Using a sample of Wisconsin families the authors conducted multiple regression analyses of the effects of homemakers' employment on the amount of time spent in food preparation, the number of persons served meals at home, and the percentage of meals eaten away from home. Preliminary analysis revealed a homemaker was more likely to be employed if her husband's earnings were low, if she had older children, and if she had higher education. The regressions on each of the three dependent variables used hours of homemaker's employment, her educa tional attainment, family income, age of the youngest child, and rural‐urban residence as in dependent variables. Significant at the 0.05 level or better, the regression coefficients revealed that employed homemakers spent less time in food preparation and that their families ate more meals away from home. There was no statistically significant effect of homemakers' employment on the average number of persons served meals at home. Other findings signifi cant at least at the 0. 05 level suggest that homemakers' education, family income, and the age of the youngest child influence the three dependent variables more than does rural‐urban residence.

Family role theory is the framework used to guide this study of how mother's employment and age of younger child affects mother's time in meal preparation and cleanup, expenditures for meals away from home, and meals shared by the family both at home and away. Eleven null hypotheses are generated and tested using data from the 11 state urban/rural comparison of families' time use. Analysis of covariance (with total family income controlled) is the primary statistical tech nique employed. Results indicated that the time spent by mothers in meal prep aration/dishwashing varied by their employment, and age of the younger child. Expenditures for meals purchased away from home did not differ by the mother's employment status or age of the younger child. Meals eaten together as a family were not related to the mother's employment status in urban areas, but were related in rural areas. Where meals were eaten together varied by employment status of the mother and age of the younger child. Implications for home econ omists and suggestions for future research are presented.

The allocation of time is an ultimate reflection of quality of life choices. Since the current trend for increased proportions of dual wage earner families will probably continue, data on how they allocate and consume time will help in clarification of this dual wage earner lifestyle on future consumer decision making and behaviour. Role theory is used to organize data on the relationships between consumption of time in the wives’ provider and homemaker roles. The relationship between purchased services, i.e. meal preparation, and wives’ time use is explored. Employment is related to meal preparation time, but not to the substitution of buying meals away from home. The age of the youngest child is important in explaining out‐of‐home meals. Implications for research and future lifestyles are discussed.

This paper reports data on the relationship between how couples perceive their family life quality and the division of household work. The sample consists of 210 Wisconsin couples. Time diaries and face‐to‐face interviews were used. Analyses indicate that the division of familiwork is not an important correlate of the congruency that the spouses hold concerning their family life quality. The one exception is that less traditional couples tend to be more dissatisfied with the work each does around the home.