The scope, development, and implementation of a multi‐state study on the im pact of farm wives' employment on family functioning and economic productivity are described. The procedures used in questionnaire development, sampling, and data collection are reported, along with information on item and unit non‐response.

Lifestyle satisfaction was examined in a seven‐state survey investigating the ef fects of off‐farm employment on farm families. Factor analysis determined that two factors identified as equity and financial security were dimensions of lifestyle satisfaction; and, for those who were parents, parenthood satisfaction formed a third dimension. A repeated measures analysis of variance on overall lifestyle satisfaction and on each underlying dimension determined that regardless of wives' employment status, wives were more satisfied with life overall than hus bands; wives were less satisfied than husbands with equity; and husbands were more satisfied with financial security than wives. The effects of husband and wife ages, type of farm organization, farm size, and presence of children at home were also investigated. Results suggest that employment of the farm wife in an off‐farm job has a different impact on men and women. Women's off‐farm employment appears to impact women's lifestyle satisfaction more than men's.

The impact of the employment of the wife on the middle‐age man's perceptions of competency in the provider role and the husband role was explored in this study. Pro portional for the area in race and socioeconomic status, the sample of 175 married men, 25 to 55 years of age, employed in business or industry, were interviewed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. An analysis of variance was used to statistically test for significant factors. The employment status of the wife had no significant impact on perceptions of husband competence or provider competence. The interaction of race and employ ment status of the wife was significant to perceived competence in the provider role. White husbands perceived themselves as most competent providers when wives held blue collar jobs, while black husbands perceived themselves as most competent providers when wives held white collar jobs.

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