Couples' averaged violated expectations comprised a second predictor of role

dissatisfaction. Couples' lower scores on the violated expectations measure (indicating

the spouses' beliefs the wives were doing more housework and child care compared to

the husbands than the partners had expected) predicted more role dissatisfaction. Unlike

previous longitudinal studies which inquired about expectations during pregnancy and

then measured the couple's actual division of labor after the baby's arrival, the present

investigation was limited to a retrospective assessment of expectations. However, of note

in the present study, couples who recalled expectations that housework and child care

would be shared more equally or that fathers would be more involved than they actually

were reported higher role dissatisfaction. This finding is in line with what has been found

in the longitudinal studies (C. P. Cowan & Cowan, 1988; Hackel & Ruble, 1992; Ruble

et al., 1988; Van Egeren, 2004). However, similar to Grote and Clark's (2001)

investigation of perceived unfairness and marital satisfaction, it is possible couples who

are more dissatisfied with their current roles may be more prone to believing they had

expected their roles to be different from what actually emerged.

 Higher scores on the hostile couple conflict type scale also predicted higher levels

of role dissatisfaction. Although higher scores on the validating couple conflict type scale

were significantly correlated with lower levels of role dissatisfaction, this variable did not

enter the regression model as a significant predictor, suggesting the validating type

variable did not significantly account for the variance in role dissatisfaction after other

variables related to the validating type were entered into the model (e.g., child-related

task differentiation, which was significantly and negatively correlated with the validating

score). Gottman (1994) noted each of the three regulated couple conflict types