Conflict between the work and family domains and exhaustion among vocationally active men and women

Abstract

Exhaustion is consistently found to be more prevalent in women than in men. Women suffer from job strain more often, which may constitute a partial explanation for this phenomenon, but experienced shortcomings in combining work and family demands may also contribute to ill health. The aim of this study was to investigate, and analyse by gender, how work-related and family-related factors, as well as the interface between them, i.e. work-to-family conflict (WFC) and family-to-work conflict (FWC), are related to exhaustion. The study was crosssectional with self-administered questionnaires assessing exposures and outcome with previously well validated instruments. The participants were 2,726 men and 2,735 women, aged 45 to 64, vocationally active, and residing in Malmö, Sweden. Sixteen percent of the women and 8% of the men considered themselves exhausted. WFC, FWC, job strain, and low job support were all strongly correlated to exhaustion in both genders. In the multivariate analyses, adjusting for other work and family risk factors, WFC and FWC remained statistically significant risk factors for exhaustion in both men and women. Job strain, low job support, and having a somatic disorder were also independently associated with exhaustion. While WFC was more prevalent among men, it was more strongly associated with exhaustion in women than in men. In women, WFC and FWC contributed to a larger part of the explanatory power of the model, which amounted to 22% of the variance in women and 14% in men. The results imply that the concept of 'work stress' should be regarded in a wider context in order to understand gender related issues of exhaustion among vocationally active individuals.

Relations entre les conflits de rôles, la fatigue et la santé psychologique chez des étudiants âgés de 19 à 21 ans occupant un emploi au cours de l'année scolaire /

“…Super et Neville (1986) travail (Canivet et al, 2010 (Emslie, Hunt, & Macintyre, 1999;Hall, 1989;Sjogren & Kristenson, 2006). (Gotlib & Cane, 1989;Massé, 1999;Massé et àl 9 1998b;Weissman, Myers, & Ross, 1988).…”

“…À l'instar de la présente étude, d'autres auteurs (Canivet et al, 2010) (Biiltmann et al, 2002;Li-Huan et al, 2010). Cependant, en ce qui a trait à la relation entre la fatigue et le bien-être psychologique, aucun lien significatif n'est obtenu à l'aide de l'analyse acheminatoire.…”

A Qualitative Study of Rehabilitation Professionals' Optimal Social Participation and Factors Perceived as Influencing

“…The articles were selected for their relevance and the topic of work-family balance. Several studies addressed work-family conflict and its impact on family and professional life as a discord between these two spheres [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. Among these articles, we found that the subject was studied in a segmented mode, i.e., the daily lives of workers, including all spheres of their lives, and the interinfluence between these spheres, was not taken into account.…”

Sex Differences in Delaying Family: Effects on Job and Life Satisfaction

“…Balancing career and family can cause stress and anxiety, particularly for women (Ford, Heinen, & Langkamer, 2007). Women typically experience more exhaustion as a result of struggling to find work-life balance compared to men (Canivet et al, 2010). Women benefit when their significant, other demonstrates a willingness to assist in sharing household chores and familial obligations (Canivet et al, 2010).…”

“…Women typically experience more exhaustion as a result of struggling to find work-life balance compared to men (Canivet et al, 2010). Women benefit when their significant, other demonstrates a willingness to assist in sharing household chores and familial obligations (Canivet et al, 2010). Though more egalitarian partnerships are becoming more popular, this balance of work and family is still more of a burden for women in the labor force than for their male counterparts (Bond et al, 2002;Presser, 1994).…”