Family dynamics and mental health: gender differences among married Asian Americans

This study explores role-sharing, family cohesion, family conflict and mental health in a nationally representative sample of married and cohabiting (707 men and 763 women) Asian Americans (27.5% Chinese; 13.49% Vietnamese; 21.43% Filipinos; and 37.56% all other Asians). Controlling for other factors, family cohesion was positively associated with mental health for all spouses and mental health was greater when household roles were shared, but this association was statistically significant only for women. The importance of family cohesion for spouses, and the positive implications for mental health when household responsibilities are shared, offer targets for strengths-based counseling and intervention.