Title: Racism at Work: Inter-spouse Stress and Strain Transfer Racism at Work: Inter-spouse Stress and Strain Transfer

The aim of this paper is to discuss pathways that interlink spouses’ well-being in a study of male Indian origin doctors and their wives where husbands experienced racism at work. This first study of its type was underpinned by Collins’ Afro-centric feminist epistemology and Lazarus’ cognitive mediational stress theory. Sampling: A sample of eight couples was recruited through advertising and snowballing. Data collection: Each spouse was interviewed separately through a semi-structured depth interview followed by a telephone interview. Data analysis: Generic pathways that inter-linked spouses’ well-being were delineated through cross-case analysis. Findings: Pathways were found to be grounded in three areas: a) supportive behaviour of the wives, b) the nature of inter-spouse communication, and c) the husband’s behaviour with the couple’s children. These pathways were accentuated by the couples’ values and beliefs related to Hinduism and middle-class, and doctors’ personality characteristics.