Examining the Influence of Work–Family Conflict on Job Stress, Job Satisfaction, and Organizational Commitment Among Correctional Officers

Abstract

Correctional officers perform a unique job that can lead to various negative outcomes. Understanding factors that can have harmful effects on important organizational attitudes like job stress, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment is imperative for the effective management of correctional institutions. Using survey data from 641 correctional officers employed at two Southwestern state-run prison facilities, the current study examines the influence of two measures of work–family conflict (WFC, strain- and time- based) on job stress, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment while controlling for many known antecedents of these variables. The results suggest that strain-based conflict is a significant predictor of job stress and job satisfaction, while time-based conflict only predicted job satisfaction. Neither measure of WFC had a significant relationship with organizational commitment. These findings are further contextualized in the discussion section with an emphasis on potential policy implications.