When the Burden Gets Overwhelming: Testing an Inverse U-Shaped Relation between Work-Family Conflicts and Alcohol Use

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Kuntsche ◽  
Emmanuel Kuntsche
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Family Conflicts ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
French Speaking ◽  
Medium Level ◽  
Family Demands ◽  
Work Family ◽  
Employed Parents ◽  
High Level

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Combining work and family demands often results in conflicts increasing alcohol use. However, extreme levels of conflict may be associated with low volumes consumed. This study tests such an inverse u-shaped relationship and whether this is influenced by the source from which the conflicts mainly arise (family duties and/or work obligations). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Regression models including linear and quadratic terms were estimated based on a sample of 305 employed parents (mean age = 38.7; 52.1% mothers) in French-speaking Switzerland. <b><i>Results:</i></b> No significant gender differences were found for the total level of conflict, but men reported significantly more work conflicts influencing family life than women. A significant positive linear (<i>B</i> = 2.10, SE = 0.72) and negative quadratic (<i>B</i> = −0.60, SE = 0.26) effect was found indicating that parents with low and those with high level of conflict report drinking less alcohol than those with a medium level of conflict. This relation was independent from the underlying sources of conflict and persisted when adjusting for gender, level of employment, number of children, or age of the youngest child. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> This study extends existing knowledge by demonstrating that the relationship between work-family conflicts (WFC) and alcohol use is more complex than previously assumed. To explain the inverse u-shaped relation, future studies should test two major processes: (a) holding multiple roles may cause more conflicts but will also limit the opportunities to engage in alcohol use, (b) those facing high level of WFC are a particular risk group experiencing detrimental health outcomes other than hazardous drinking, and (c) a combination of both.

scholarly journals Impact of Work-Family Conflict on Sleep Complaints: Results From the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil)

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aline Silva-Costa ◽  
Susanna Toivanen ◽  
Lúcia Rotenberg ◽  
Maria Carmen Viana ◽  
Maria de Jesus M. da Fonseca ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Family Conflict ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Adult Health ◽  
Work Family Conflict ◽  
Family Conflicts ◽  
Sleep Complaints ◽  
Work Conflict ◽  
Family Demands ◽  
Work Family

Background: Balancing work and family demands is often a challenge. Family and job responsibilities may affect many aspects of health, and sleep is an important issue. Work-family conflict (WFC) refers to situations where it is difficult to reconcile family and professional demands. WFC can act in two directions: work-to-family conflicts occur when job demands interfere in family life; family-to-work conflicts arise when family demands interfere with job performance. This study evaluated whether dimensions of WFC—time- and strain-related, work-to-family conflict; family-to-work conflict; and lack of time for self-care and leisure due to work and family demands—were cross-sectionally and longitudinally associated with sleep complaints, by gender.Methods: The sample comprised 9,704 active workers (5,057 women and 4,647 men) from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). Standardized questionnaires were used to collect data. WFC was measured at baseline (2008–2010), and sleep complaints were measured at baseline and approximately 4 years after the first visit (2012–2014). To test the association between the four WFC dimensions and sleep complaints, crude and multiple logistic regressions were conducted to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. The adjusted model included age, education, marital status, hours worked and work schedule.Results: Mean age at baseline was 48.2 years. Most participants were educated to University degree level (54.5%), married (68.2%) and worked ≤ 40 h/week (66.1%). At baseline, 48.3% of women and 41.1% of men reported sleep complaints. Frequent WFC was reported by women and men, respectively, as follows: time-related work-to-family conflict (32.6 and 26.1%), strain-related work-to-family conflict (25.3 and 16.0%), family-to-work conflict (6.6 and 7.6%) and lack of time for self-care (35.2 and 24.7%). For both women and men, time- and strain-related work-to-family conflicts and conflicts for lack of time for self-care were cross-sectionally and longitudinally associated with sleep complaints. The findings also suggest a weaker and non-significant association between family-to-work conflict and sleep complaints.Conclusions: The statistically significant associations observed here underline the importance of reducing WFC. In the modern world, both WFC and sleep problems are increasingly recognized as frequent problems that often lead to ill health, thus posing a public health challenge.

Work–family lockdown: implications for a post-pandemic research agenda

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 639-646
Author(s):  
Gary N. Powell
Keyword(s):  
Research Agenda ◽  
Social Supports ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Family Demands ◽  
Work Family ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Employed Parents ◽  
Personal Reflections

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to consider the implications of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic for future research on the intersection of gender, work and family. Design/methodology/approach This paper offers personal reflections on needed research in a post-pandemic future. Findings This paper identifies several promising areas for future research on the intersection of gender, work and family. Research limitations/implications The paper offers numerous recommendations for a post-pandemic research agenda, including future research on essential workers, virtual workers, workers with enhanced family demands, single employed parents, social supports and issues of gender associated with these populations and topics. Social implications The paper reinforces the value of social supports at the individual, family, organizational, community and societal levels. Originality/value The paper discusses implications for future research of an original event, the COVID-19 pandemic, as it is still transpiring.

scholarly journals Homeschooling during COVID-19: Gender Differences in Work–Family Conflict and Alcohol Use Behaviour among Romantic Couples

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 240
Author(s):  
Danika I. DesRoches ◽  
S. Hélène Deacon ◽  
Lindsey M. Rodriguez ◽  
Simon B. Sherry ◽  
Raquel Nogueira-Arjona ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Family Conflict ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Work Family Conflict ◽  
Romantic Couples ◽  
Family Demands ◽  
Work Family ◽  
Drinking Frequency

Homeschooling due to COVID-19 school closures is likely to increase conflict between work and family demands, potentially leading to adverse substance-use effects. We conducted a survey with 758 couples focusing on homeschooling, work–family conflict, and alcohol use (April 2020). The 211 homeschooling couples reported more work–family conflict than the 547 non-homeschooling couples; there also were stronger effects on family interference with work in women. Among the homeschooling couples, homeschooling hours were associated with greater partner drinking. In distinguishable dyad analyses by gender, women’s hours homeschooling were associated with greater drinking frequency by both parents. Men’s hours homeschooling were associated with lower drinking frequency in their partners. Increased work–family conflict in homeschooling couples is particularly worrisome given its link to increased stress and poor mental health. Moreover, women’s increased drinking may impede their ability to support their families during the pandemic. Men’s increased drinking could put homeschooling mothers at risk for escalating conflict/domestic violence, given links of male drinking to intimate partner violence. Finally, the protective-partner effects of men’s homeschooling hours on women’s drinking frequency suggests that more egalitarian division of homeschooling labor may have protective cross-over effects.

scholarly journals Provjera faktorske strukture hrvatske verzije upitnika „Fleksibilnost granica radne i obiteljske uloge“

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-203
Author(s):  
Maja Laklija ◽  
Slavica Blažeka Kokorić ◽  
Gordana Berc
Keyword(s):  
Factor Structure ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Family Role ◽  
Family Obligations ◽  
Cronbach Alpha ◽  
Job Requirements ◽  
The Family ◽  
Work Family ◽  
Employed Parents ◽  
Ability And Willingness

FACTORS’ STRUCTURE OF CROATIAN VERSION OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE »BOUNDARY FLEXIBILITY OF WORK AND FAMILY ROLE The aim of this paper was to verify the factor structure and metric characteristics of the Croatian version of the questionnaire »Boundary Flexibility« (Matthews & Barnes-Farrell, 2010.). The survey was conducted on a convenient sample of 187 employed parents of underage children. In the data analysis, factor analysis and Spearman correlation coefficient were used. The three-factor structure of the questionnaire was obtained: the first factor »Family plans adjustment to the job requirements« contains six items (Cronbach alfa = 0.891), indicating readiness of respondents to adjust family plans to job requirements. The second factor in »Job requirements adjustment to the family role« (Cronbach alpha = 0.814) contains eight items, which point out the ability and willingness of respondents to adjust their job requirements to family obligations. The third factor, »Possibility of increased engagement at work without major difficulties in performing family obligations«, contains four items (Cronbach alpha = 0.784), and refers to the respondents’ ability to meet increased demands at work, without adverse effects and significant difficulties in the family role. Given that the extracted sub-scales are not fully matched to the factor structure of the original questionnaire, the obtained results point out to certain specifics in the application of the Croatian version of this questionnaire. Verification of the metric characteristics has shown the satisfactory reliability of the obtained sub-scales and the possibility of further application of this instrument. Key words: work-family role balance, boundary flexibility, metric characteristics of the questionnaire.

Relation Between Work-Family Life Conflict and Organizational Cynicism in Women

2019 ◽  
pp. 113-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yavuz Kağan Yasim
Keyword(s):  
Family Life ◽  
Banking Sector ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Work Family Conflict ◽  
Software Analysis ◽  
Organizational Cynicism ◽  
Medium Level ◽  
Statistical Program ◽  
Work Family

The quantity and quality of women's employment has long been a worldwide issue and has particular resonance in Turkey. In Turkey, the banking sector is of particular significance due to its high number of female employees. Thus, owing to this phenomenon, the main focus of the chapter is on the banking sector. One of the greatest problems facing working women in life is work-family conflict, kind of role conflict. Furthermore, in recent years, organizational cynicism has long been a central plank in many studies. This study thus examines women's conflict with work and family life along with organizational cynicism and its numerous lower dimensions. Data gathered from 182 female bankers was analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Program of Social Sciences) software. Analysis of the results would suggest that some demographic variables have a significant impact upon organizational cynicism and the conflict between work and family life conflict. Also, there is a positively significant correlation in medium level between the variables.

Trends in Female Workers’ Childbearing Intentions in South Korea

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 242-249
Author(s):  
Jee-Seon Yi ◽  
Hye-Sun Jung ◽  
Hyeoneui Kim ◽  
Eun-Ok Im
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Maternity Leave ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Female Workers ◽  
Childbearing Intentions ◽  
Work Family ◽  
Work And Family Roles ◽  
The Impact

This study aimed to analyze trends of South Korean working women’s childbearing intentions to provide directions for strategies to increase South Korea’s birth rate. This study used the data generated by the Korean Longitudinal Panel Survey of Women and Families in South Korea from 2007 to 2016, and included 2,341 working women. This study showed that female workers’ intention to bear children is decreasing. In 2007, age and the number of children were considered in predicting the characteristics of those with childbearing intentions. In 2016, the provision of maternity leave at work, job satisfaction regarding relationships and communication, and work-family conflicts were added. When identifying the factors by category, the impact level of occupational factors increased, although the impact level of individual factors decreased. There should be a balance between work and family roles, and employers should provide ample maternity leave and promote an organizational culture that supports job satisfaction.

Flextime

1990 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 455-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
KATHLEEN E. CHRISTENSEN ◽  
GRAHAM L. STAINES
Keyword(s):  
Partial Solution ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Family Type ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Family Conflicts ◽  
Family Time ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Organizational Membership ◽  
Work Family ◽  
Research And Policy

Flextime, a work schedule that permits flexible starting and quitting times, has gained wide currency as a partial solution to conflicts between work and family life. This article aims to review the existing research regarding the advantages and disadvantages of flextime to both employers and employees; to evaluate the effects of flextime on resolving work/family conflicts; and to establish future programmatic, research, and policy directions regarding flextime. Research indicates that no compelling case can be made for flextime solely on the grounds of employers' conventional concerns with organizational effectiveness, organizational membership, or job attitudes. Research reveals, further, that flextime is beneficial in resolving work/family conflicts, but not as beneficial as often hoped. Future research should include the following: (a) greater sensitivity than is currently available regarding the use of, not just access to, flextime; (b) more attention to the needs of different subgroups as defined by stage in life cycle and family type; and (c) the use of dependent measures that would assess the effect of flextime in terms of quality as well as quantity of family time. We think it likely that the better the research, the more compelling will be the evidence for the effectiveness of flextime.

SMALL FAMILY BUSINESS SURVIVAL: STRATEGIES FOR COPING WITH OVERLAPPING FAMILY AND BUSINESS DEMANDS

2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (03) ◽  
pp. 209-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
LINDA S. NIEHM ◽  
NANCY J. MILLER ◽  
MACK C. SHELLEY ◽  
MARGARET A. FITZGERALD
Keyword(s):  
Family Business ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Survival Strategies ◽  
Business Managers ◽  
Community Size ◽  
Family Responsibilities ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Small Family ◽  
Family Demands

This study identified 14 adjustment strategies employed by household and business managers to cope with overlapping work and family demands using data from 1997 and 2000 versions of the National Family Business Survey (NFBS). Significant differences were found between surviving small family firms by managerial role (single or dual) regarding gross income, gender, number of children under age 18, community size and trade sector. Both surviving and non-surviving enterprises tended to bring household work to the business field when times were hectic and demanding, and took care of family responsibilities while at the business. However, in non-surviving businesses, business managers reported a greater tendency to bring work home, demonstrating that work entered the family field more frequently than in surviving businesses. Managers of surviving businesses were more likely to make financial adjustments by hiring temporary help for the business or home, and less likely to ask others to help in the business without pay. Significant differences were also noted regarding the use of non-financial adjustments; managers of surviving family businesses were able to shift away from business work to spend time on family aspects, and to spend less time sleeping to help the business.

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