Are you a 'superior wife'?

To come up with her theory of the "superior wife syndrome," author Carin Rubenstein did online surveys with over 1,500 couples around the world to determine the distribution of tasks and responsibilities in their marriage.

Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed were found to be in what she considers superior wife marriages, where the wife manages most everything involving home and family life. The only exceptions were couples in traditional arrangements, including members of the LDS faith and born again Christians, according to Rubenstein.

Here are a few questions she asked couples to determine whether they were in superior marriages:

In your marriage, which partner is the one who:

1. Can do more than one thing at a time?

2. Organizes and plans most family events and schedules?

3. Makes most of the family decisions?

4. Is the most efficient person in the marriage?

5. Shows the most support and affection to family and friends?

6. Is likely to sacrifice his/her own needs for others in the family?

Rubensteins survey showed 63 percent of wives believed they were best at five or more of those tasks. Only 24 percent of husbands thought their wives were best at the same number of tasks.

SOURCE: Carin Rubenstein, "The Superior Wife Syndrome"

10 ways to stop being a superior wife

1. Ask your husband to help.

2. Use logic to reason with your

husband, not emotion.

3. Resign your duties and make

your spouse take over.

4. Apply peer pressure or guilt.

5. Get mad, but only as a last resort.

6. Be less than you can be,

or dont do it all.

7. Silence your inner critic and

dont think negatively about

your spouse.

8. Develop manly skills like

mowing the lawn.

9. Reward the good.

10. Get counseling.

SOURCE: Carin Rubenstein, The Superior Wife Syndrome