Citation

J. Rural Ment. Health 2009; 33(1): 9-25.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, National Association for Rural Mental Health, Publisher American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/h0095971

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into how farm wives perceive their roles in the financial management of the farm operation and how those roles relate to marital quality. A screening questionnaire was administered to twenty-two farm wives, six of whom were selected for an in-depth interview. Each participant was highly involved in financial management of the family farm. Using qualitative analysis, the most salient finding was that those farm wives perceived financial management roles of the farm as a team effort with their husbands. The processes involved planning, prioritizing, communication, conflict resolution, and making farm financial decisions. These findings suggest that farm wives who participate in an effective negotiation process with their husbands will be likely to report higher marital quality.

Language: en