Husbands suffer more if their wives are the main breadwinner in the house
Some men might dream of having a wife who earns more than they do, as it might spare them hours of intense work, or more stress at the workplace. However, a new research found out this might not be the best situation for a man. It discovered that a man whose wife earns more than him is more likely to have more health problems.
Men are affected if their wives earn more than them
The belief that the man should be the primary breadwinner in a home seems to be deeply rooted in our unconscious. Although some people might enjoy having to work a little less if their wife earns more than them, it seems this situation is, in fact, detrimental for their health. Being a kept man might increase the risk of suffering strokes, heart attacks, or of developing type two diabetes.
The research was carried on by sociologists from Rutgers University. They noticed that, the moment the man was no longer the main earner in the house, he started experiencing different health problems. Although it sounds unlikely, the moment their spouse surpassed them financially, they started feeling feebler.
No longer being the primary breadwinner in a home can seriously affect a man’s health
Professor Cary Cooper, one of the researchers involved in the study, explained how men were psychologically affected if their role of main provider and chief earner in the house was taken by someone else.
“We found that violating cultural expectations, such as the masculinity ideal of male breadwinning, is associated with older men’s poorer health.”
For this study, researchers monitored around 2,000 couples for a period of 30 years. Those men whose wives earned more than then suffered more from a psychological point of view. Therefore, psychological stress led to the development of heart problems or diabetes. This happened across all social classes, so both poorer and richer men felt the same.
Women have started earning more, and many of them became the main breadwinner in their homes. This is a great thing, but it seems that men won’t take it as lightly as we would expect.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
