violated expectations, marital disaffection, the couple conflict type scores, age, infant

age, and income level). Only marital disaffection emerged as a significant predictor of

individual well-being, explaining 14.5% of the variance. This finding is especially

interesting when compared to the numerous variables identified through the stepwise

regression models accounting for 41.7% of the variance in marital disaffection. It appears

variables associated with the couple's division of labor (including higher levels of task

differentiation and role dissatisfaction) and variables associated with the couple's conflict

behaviors (including higher reliance on the hostile couple conflict type and lower

endorsement of the volatile couple conflict type) are more strongly associated with the

level of marital disaffection than they are with the overall level of individual well-being

present in the couple's relationship. It seems instead that marital disaffection is affected

first by these factors, and only secondly does disaffection impact individual well-being,

indicating couples may view conflict and their division of labor as relational rather than

individual issues.

 Unlike the present investigation, other studies have found links between the

division of labor and new parents' well-being; in particular, men's lower involvement in

housework and child care has been associated with both men and women's depression

(Blair & Hardesty, 1994; Ruble et al., 1988; Strazdins et al., 1997). Because the present

study's variables accounted for relatively little of the variance in individual well-being,

other factors not measured in this study are likely to be important predictors of the overall

welfare of the individuals in these marriages.

Predictors of Discrepancies in Partners' Couple Conflict Type Ratings

 The stepwise regression analysis identified role dissatisfaction as the only

significant predictor of discrepancies in partners' couple conflict type ratings. It makes