Husbands’ and Wives’ Socioeconomic Resources and Marital Dissolution

Abstract

Using the Korean Labor and Income Panel Study (KLIPS), this study analyzes the relationship between husbands’ and wives’ socioeconomic resources and marital dissolution. Compared to prior research, this study investigates the impacts of husbands’ and wives’ individual and couple characteristics using longitudinal couple data compiled from the KLIPS. Overall, despite the wide range of socioeconomic variables investigated, such as education, earnings, work status, ratio of wives’ earnings relative to total couple earnings, dual-earner status, only limited variables are found to have significant effects on marital dissolution. First, consistent with prior research, this study finds that husbands’ education is negatively associated with marital dissolution. Second, with respect to wives’ socioeconomic resources, this study finds that the effect of wives’ education is contingent upon marital cohorts and marital duration. The data indicate that the positive impact of wives’ education becomes weaker across marriage cohorts and marital duration.