A Review of the Literature on the School-Work-Life Interface

Abstract

As term-time employment for college students has rapidly increased worldwide, the topic of multiple role engagement among employed students has attracted much research attention. Nevertheless, how paid employment might affect student outcomes remains unknown. With this in mind, we provide a critical synthesis of the school-work-life (SWL) interface literature that focuses on undergraduate students who engage in term-time employment because the SWL interface, when considered as a psychological experience emerging from multiple role engagement, may shed light on the complex relationship between engagement in multiple roles and outcomes. Supporting the notion that the SWL interface is an underlying mechanism in the relationship between the multiple role engagement and outcomes, our review suggests that (a) demands and resources in each domain relate to positive/negative inter-role interface and (b) positive/negative inter-role interface predicts various outcomes in working undergraduates. We conclude with practical implications for multiple stakeholders and directions for future research.