Overtime work and marital stability: evidence from the China Family Panel Studies

Abstract

Against the backdrop of intensifying labor market competition and declining marital stability in China, this study examines the impact of overtime work on marital stability. Using longitudinal panel data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) covering 2014 to 2022, we systematically investigate the relationship between overtime work and marital stability. Grounded in work-family conflict theory and the decent work deficit perspective, our analysis reveals that overtime work exerts a significant and persistent negative effect on marital stability, with marital satisfaction serving as a key transmission channel. Heterogeneity analysis further shows that this adverse effect is stronger for younger cohorts. In particular, wives’ overtime work imposes a larger “marital stability penalty” than husbands’ overtime work. The negative effect remains statistically significant over time, though its magnitude gradually attenuates. These findings provide empirical support for targeted labor protections and family well-being and social stability in the digital economy.