TY  - JOUR
A1  - Vitali, Agnese
A1  - Arpino, Bruno
T1  - Who brings home the bacon? The influence of context on partners' contributions to the household income
Y1  - 2016/10/26
JF  - Demographic Research
JO  - Demographic Research
SN  - 1435-9871
SP  - 1213
EP  - 1244
DO  - 10.4054/DemRes.2016.35.41
VL  - S20
IS  - 41
UR  - https://www.demographic-research.org/special/20/41/
L1  - https://www.demographic-research.org/special/20/41/s20-41.pdf
L2  - https://www.demographic-research.org/special/20/41/s20-41.pdf
N2  - Background: Female-breadwinner families represent a relatively new phenomenon in Europe. Little is known about the determinants of this couple type, which sensibly diverts from the traditional economic superiority of men within the household. 

Objective: This paper studies the contextual correlates of partners’ contribution to the household income, distinguishing between female-breadwinner, male-breadwinner, and equal-income couples. In particular, it focuses on the role of male unemployment rate and the prevalence of gender-egalitarian attitudes as possible explanations for the emergence of female-breadwinner and equal-income couples across European regions and countries. 

Methods: Using data from the fifth round (2010/2011) of the European Social Survey, integrated with data from the Eurostat database, we model the categorical variable identifying the couple type (male-breadwinner, female-breadwinner, or equal-income couple) by using a multilevel multinomial logistic regression model where individuals are nested within regions and countries. 

Results: The prevalence of female-breadwinner, male-breadwinner, and equal-income couples varies considerably across European countries as well as within countries. The prevalence of female-breadwinner couples is positively associated with male unemployment, while it is not influenced by the diffusion of gender-egalitarian attitudes. However, the diffusion of gender-egalitarian attitudes matters for explaining the variation in the prevalence of equal-income couples across Europe. 

Contribution: We add to the literature on partners’ contributions to household income by analysing the spatial distribution and the contextual correlates of female-breadwinner, male-breadwinner, and equal-income couples across European countries and regions. 

ER  -