The Division of Household Labor in Families with a Disabled Child: Insights from Quantitative and Qualitative Research

Maryhelen D'Ottavi, Brown University
Carrie E. Spearin, Brown University
Catherine S. Andrzejewski, Brown University

This study explores the division of household labor in families raising a child with disability. Raising a child with disability poses special challenges to parenting. Increased demands for caregiving may lead families to employ strategies to ensure that their child’s needs are met. In this mixed-methods study, we explore the ways in which couples delegate responsibility for their child’s care and other household tasks. We utilize the NSFH to explore the division of household labor among families with and without children with disability. We also use this dataset to explore respondent’s ideology about the gendered division of labor. To elucidate the patterns established in the data, we draw upon qualitative interviews with mothers of children with disabilities. In these interviews, we look to understand how parents divide household and parenting duties, and their roles within the household.