TABLE OF CONTENTS


A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S ................................................................................................. iii

L IS T O F T A B L E S ........ ............................................................... .......... .. ............. ...... v iii

F IG U R E .... .. .. ............................................................ ......... .....x

ABSTRACT ........ ............... .............. ...... ..................... xi

CHAPTER

1 IN TR OD U CTION ............................................... .. ......................... ..

 Scope of the Problem .................. ....................... ............... .... ...............
 T heoretical F ram ew ork ................................................................. ....................... 6
 N eed for the Study ...................................................... ................. 19
 P u rp o se ...............................................................................2 2
 R research Q uestions........... .................................................................. ........ .. ... 22
 Definition of Term s .................................... .. .. ..... .. ............23
 O organization of the Study ................................................... ........ ............... .24

2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE..... ........... ...............25

 Key Changes Across the Transition to Parenthood..............................................26
 Parenting Roles, the Division of Labor, and Violated Expectations ..........................37
 Stress and Coping with Unfairness in Parenting Roles ...........................................55
 C o n c lu sio n s..................................................... ................ 6 1

3 M E T H O D O L O G Y ............................................................................ ................... 63

 State ent of Purpose .............................................. .... .. ................. 63
 D elineation of Relevant V ariables........................................................... ... .......... 63
 D description of the Population and Sam ple .............................................................. 66
 D ata Collection Procedures ................................................. ............................. 73
 Instrumentation and Operationalized Variables ............................... ................76
 R research Q uestions........... .................................................................. ........ .. ... 94