Predicting marital financial deception in a national sample: A person‐centered approach

• Published date: 01 October 2022
• Author: Jeffrey Dew,Sammi Trujillo,Matthew Saxey
• Date: 01 October 2022
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12654

RESEARCH

Predicting marital financial deception in a national

sample: A person-centered approach

Jeffrey Dew|Sammi Trujillo|Matthew Saxey

School of Family Life, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, United States

Correspondence

Jeffrey Dew, School of Family Life, Brigham

Young University, 2101 JFSB, Provo,

UT 84620, USA.

Email: jeff_dew@byu.edu

Funding information

Wheatley Institution, Grant/Award Number:

Wheatley Institution Fellow

Abstract

Objective: Examine whether latent classes of marital finan-

cial deception exist and what might predict class

membership.

Background: Many individuals have reported financially

deceiving their spouse in descriptive studies; estimates

range between 40% and 60% depending on the study.

However, to date no study has examined the nature of

marital financial deception in a multivariate context

regarding type, frequency, and so on. Further, scholars

have not yet studied predictors of marital financial decep-

tion in a multivariate context.

Method: We used national data and seven financial decep-

tion behaviors for the latent class analysis. We also used

multinomial regression to predict latent class membership

(N=946 individuals).

Results: Three classes emerged. Spouses who almost never

deceived their spouse, spouses who frequently engaged in

most of the deception behaviors, and spouses who some-

times hid minor purchases from or lied generally about

their financial behaviors to their spouse. The multinomial

logistic regression revealed that perceived marital stability,

marital duration, and trust in one’s spouse was negatively

associated with membership in the minor or major decep-

tion groups. Conversely, sexual and emotional infidelity

was positively associated with being in the major and

minor financial deception groups. Hispanic and Black

non-Hispanic participants were less likely than White non-

Hispanic participants to be in the minor and major finan-

cial deception groups.

Conclusion: Although individuals financially deceived their

spouses, most were either generally truthful or only

engaged in minor types infrequently. Aspects of marital

commitment predicted group membership.

Received: 15 December 2020Revised: 18 May 2021Accepted: 13 August 2021

DOI: 10.1111/fare.12654

© 2022 National Council on Family Relations.

Family Relations. 2022;71:1497–1514. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/fare 1497

Implications: The frequency and severity of marital finan-

cial deception is associated with marital commitment.

While most people think of relationship infidelity as a sexual issue, sex is not the only way in

which people deceive their partners. Studies using data from national sample, for example,

found that 41% to 58% of participants reported financially deceiving their spouse or cohabiting

partner within the past year (e.g., by hiding accounts, lying about purchases; National Endow-

ment for Financial Education [NEFE], 2018; Trujillo et al., 2019). Although the two cited stud-

ies suggested that most of these deceptive behaviors are “minor”(e.g., hiding a minor

purchase), they also suggest that in any given year, 40% to 60% of individuals will financially

deceive their spouse or partner.

We are particularly interested in examining predictors of marital financial deception. Some

scholars have studied this area. These studies represent a welcome quantitative (Jeanfreau

et al., 2018; Junare & Patel, 2012) and qualitative (Jeanfreau et al., 2019) beginning to the study

of marital financial deception. Our study builds on this work by using multivariate statistics

and a national sample. We hope our study will assist family researchers to continue to examine

marital financial deception. We also hope it will assist family practitioners as they help their

clients.

Our study adds to the literature in the following ways. First, we explored the construct of

financial deception using a person-centered approach. That is, we examine whether latent

(i.e., unobserved) classes of individuals existed vis-à-vis marital financial deception behaviors.

A person-centered analysis allows us to find patterns of marital financial deception (if they

exist). Because the study of marital financial deception is still “young,”understanding patterns

of marital financial deception might help researchers better understand and investigate the phe-

nomenon. Further, knowing whether individuals engage in marital financial deception in dis-

tinct patterns could be useful for practitioners. Second, we examined the predictors of financial

deception class membership using multinomial logistic regression. Multivariate statistics

allowed us to see what variables did and did not contribute independent variance to the predic-

tion of financial deception class membership. Finally, this study adds to the literature by using

a national sample of married individuals. The national sample makes our results more general-

izable than past research.

This study may assist relationship researchers and marital and financial practitioners. For

researchers, this study opens a new avenue for studying relationship deception and betrayal.

Whereas many studies have examined sexual infidelity, for example, few have examined finan-

cial deception. This study may also help practitioners understand financial deception more as

they interact with clients who may be struggling with this issue.

MARITAL FINANCIAL DECEPTION AND ITS PREDICTORS

Latent marital financial deception classes

For the purposes of this study, we take our definition of marital financial deception from the

broader literature on relationship deception, particularly those studies that come from clinical/

practitioner settings. Deceptive behaviors in committed relationships have two components.

The first is that one of the spouses or partners engages in behavior(s) that the other spouse does

not know about. The second component is that the behavior breaks a relationship commitment,

rule, or understanding (Whiting, 2016). Thus, marital financial deception occurs when a spouse

engages in a secret financial behavior that they know violates an explicit or implicit trust within

the relationship. Examples of this behavior might include hiding financial behaviors or accounts

1498 FAMILY RELATIONS