Development and Evaluation of a Parent-Employee Interrole Conflict Scale

Abstract

We took a deductive (theoretically-based) approach to develop scales to measure a specific aspect of work-family conflict: interrole conflict between individuals' roles as parents and as employees, or parent-employee conflict (P-E conflict). Results supported (a) three empirically distinct aspects of P-E conflict: parenting interfering with work (PIW), work interfering with parenting (WIP) and general P-E conflict (G), (b) the discriminant validity of PIW, WIP, and G as compared to general work-family conflict (W-FC) and work role conflict (WRC), and (c) the nomological validity of P-E conflict scales in terms of predicted relationships with measures of other related constructs. Scale items are presented, and recommendations for scale use and future research directions are offered.