Role Conflict and Self‐Efficacy Among Employed Parents: Examining Complex Statistical Interactions

Abstract

In response to growing concerns with explaining how work and family interfere with each other and with statistical approaches that do not capture the way in which predictors interact, this study tested statistical interactions involving personal and social resources of 410 full‐time employed women and men. The results indicate that self‐efficacy is a strong predictor of family interfering with work (FIW) and work interfering with family (WIF). Gender moderates the relation between supervisor support and WIF moderates the impact of efficacy beliefs and instrumental support at home on FIW. Specifically, while supervisor support is negatively related to WIF in women and men, high levels of support more strongly affected men's perceptions of WIF. In low self‐efficacy men, high levels of support at home improved their perceptions of FIW but these perceptions worsened in women. These findings contrast with earlier research that focus predominantly on the predictive value of structural demands (for example, the number of hours worked per week and family size). This study shows that gender plays a critical yet intricate role as a predictor of the successful management of work and family roles: it is not gender per se but its interaction with personal and social variables that informs us about differences in the experience of employed parents.

How do female entrepreneurs in developing countries cope with role conflict?

“…Moreover, Lent (2004) indicates that personal dispositions also influence how people assess work demands and available support, choice of coping strategy and the possible consequences. Houle et al (2012) also find that self-efficacy significantly affects work and family conflict. To date, personal resources have been considered as a predictor variable (Xanthopoulou et al, 2007), moderator between environment and work outcomes (Luthans et al, 2006;Mäkikangas et al, 2013;Xanthopoulou et al, 2007), and/or mediator variable (Van den Heuvel et al, 2010).…”

Walking the tightrope between work and non-work life: strategies employed by British and Chinese academics and their implications

“…Future studies investigating coping strategies in balancing work and life should examine not only contextual differences but also gender differences. Irrespective of East or West, coping strategies are not gender neutral (Bray et al 2001;Fielden and Davidson 1999;Jennings and McDougald 2007), and gender may affect perceptions of coping resources and abilities (Houle et al 2012), which is evident in this study. For instance, female academics reported instances of managing emotion more often than male.…”

Work-Life Boundary Management for Working Women: An Examination of Age and Motherhood

“…Scholars also found a permeable work boundary contributed to higher FIW conflict (Bulger et al, 2007, Hecht and Allen, 2009, Kim and Hollensbe, 2017. Understanding the effect of boundary management on WFC is critical because it contributes to lower organizational commitment, emotional exhaustion, and increased turnover intentions (Boles et al, 1997, Grandey and Cropanzano, 1999, Houle et al, 2012, Rasheed et al, 2018, Rubino et al, 2013.…”