Offering and Asking for Help with Domestic Chores in Couple Relationships

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 19;20(4):3708. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20043708.

Abstract

Domestic chores are a topic of great interest for couple relationships since they are a source of conflict between intimate partners. The purpose of the present research is to investigate offering and asking for help with domestic chores and the respondents' tendency to be intuitive or verbal or to do chores alone. A vignette applied to children and married adults. The respondents were 116 boys and 116 girls and 110 male partners and 300 female partners, who completed individual questionnaires, online using Google Forms, regarding helping behaviour. Research findings indicate that men are more verbal and women are more intuitive when offering help, but when asking for help with domestic chores, men and women are statistically similar. The present research raises questions about the role of gender differences in couple relationships, and about educational solutions for couples and provides opportunities for future research.

Keywords: asking for help; couple relationships; domestic chores; gender differences; intuitive vs. verbal communication; offering help.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Marriage
  • Men*
  • Sexual Behavior*
  • Sexual Partners

Grants and funding

This paper is funded by Stefan cel Mare University, Strada Universității 13, Suceava 720229, Romania. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.