Work-family conflict, gender, and health-related outcomes: A study of employed parents in two community samples.

Abstract

On the basis of identity theory and research on sex role socialization, it was predicted that both work interfering with family (W-->F conflict) and family interfering with work (F-->W conflict) are uniquely related to depression, poor physical health, and heavy alcohol use (Hypothesis 1). It also was predicted that gender would moderate these relationships, such that W-->F conflict is more strongly related to the outcomes among women (Hypothesis 2a) and F-->W conflict is more strongly related to the outcomes among men (Hypothesis 2b). Survey data were obtained from 2 random community samples of employed parents (Ns = 496 and 605). Hierarchical regression analyses supported Hypothesis 1 but failed to support Hypotheses 2a and 2b.