Does conflict between home and work explain the effect of multiple roles on mental health? A comparative study of Finland, Japan, and the UK

Abstract

Both work-to-family and family-to-work conflict affect the mental health of men and women in three different countries. Work and family roles and the balance between the two may be important for the mental health of men and women in industrialized societies. Any analysis of the effect of multiple roles on health needs to take into account the psychosocial content of such roles.

Work–family conflicts and subsequent sleep medication among women and men: A longitudinal registry linkage study

“…Accordingly, previous studies have suggested that paid work represents an additional workload in particular for women (Bartley et al, 1992). However, current evidence suggests that the overall prevalence and level of work to family and family to work conflicts are relatively similar among women and men (Chandola et al, 2004;Kinnunen & Mauno, 1998). Also results of a meta-analysis showed that levels of family to work and work to family conflicts are similar among women and men suggesting that gender is unlikely an antecedent of work-family conflicts (Byron, 2005).…”

Psychosocial working conditions and weight gain among employees

“…20 Furthermore, work-related factors might be modified by the simultaneous demands of family roles, a phenomenon known as the work-home interface, and this has been shown to be associated with health and well-being. [21][22][23][24] However, the effects of the work-home interface on weight gain have not been studied. To control the weight gain epidemic, more information on work-related factors underlying weight gain is needed.…”

Work–home interference and its prospective relation to major depression and treatment with antidepressants

“…"Workfamily conflict" (WFC) can arise when "efforts to fulfill the demands of the employee role interfere with the ability to fulfill the demands of the roles as a spouse, parent, or carer" (7). Another similar term commonly used is "work-home interference" (WHI) (8) although this does not necessarily refer to impact on the role as a spouse, parent, or carer.…”