Neighbourhood Effects on Family-to-Work Conflict and Distress

Abstract

My research examines the extent to which individuals’ neighbourhood of residence impacts family stressors and resources, family-to-work conflict (FWC), and resulting distress. Unlike previous literature on FWC and mental heath, I contextualize these processes by considering the direct and mediating effects of social context. I focus on three research questions: 1) How do real and perceived neighbourhood stressors and resources combine to affect FWC and subsequent distress? 2) Are these associations mediated by family stressors and resources? 3) How do these processes vary across social status groups? I draw upon three data sources to answer my research questions, including interview data from residents of Toronto Canada, 2006 Canadian Census data, and 2010 administrative data on Toronto’s neighbourhood resources. The results of my research will contribute to literature on FWC and mental health in several ways: First, I effectively model individual and neighbourhood effects simultaneously. Second, my research considers structural neighbourhood effects on family stressors and resources, FWC and subsequent distress, as well as individuals’ perceptions of neighbourhood stressors and resources. Finally, I document these trends across various social status groups using multiple data sources to more accurately capture neighbourhood and family stressors and resources and their association with FWC and distress.