Abstract
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between contextual work-related factors on the one hand, in terms of job demands (i.e., risk factors) and job resources (i.e., protective factors), and work-family conflict (WFC) in teachers on the other. Building on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, we hypothesized that job demands, namely qualitative, and quantitative workload, are positively associated with WFC in teachers. Moreover, in line with the buffer hypothesis of the JD-R, we expected job resources, in terms of support from supervisor (SS), job autonomy (JA), and participation in decision making (PDM), to affect this association, which is expected to be stronger when job resources are low. The study was conducted in an Italian secondary school. Overall, 122 teachers completed a self-report questionnaire aimed at determining WFC, as well as job demands and resources. The hypothesized relationships were tested using moderated multiple regression. The results of this study largely support our predictions. First, both aspects of workload were positively associated with WFC. Secondly, job resources, including SS and PDM, buffered this association, which was stronger when resources were low. On the contrary, JA did not buffer the association between workload and WFC. Overall, the results of this study are consistent with the JD-R model and contribute to the understanding of work–family conflict among teachers. More specifically, our study suggests that teachers with high levels of job resources, namely SS and PDM, can effectively cope with job demands, in terms of both qualitative and quantitative workload, thus preventing negative consequences such as conflict between work and family domains. Interventions aimed at preventing WFC among teachers should encourage organizations to optimize the balance between job demands and resources, as well as the identification and training of the workers at risk of WFC.
Highlights
Over the past decades, the teaching profession has undergone several changes, often described in the literature as intensification (Hargreaves, 1992; Ballet and Kelchtermans, 2009; Van Droogenbroeck et al, 2014)
In light of the theoretical framework provided by the Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R; Demerouti et al, 2001; Bakker and Demerouti, 2007, 2017), we examined whether job demands are positively associated with work-family conflict (WFC) among teachers in an Italian secondary school, and whether job resources can moderate such association (Bakker et al, 2011)
With respect to job resources, in this study we focused on support from supervisor (SS), job autonomy (JA), and participation in decision making (PDM) for several reasons
Summary
The teaching profession has undergone several changes, often described in the literature as intensification (Hargreaves, 1992; Ballet and Kelchtermans, 2009; Van Droogenbroeck et al, 2014) According to this perspective, teachers are increasingly exposed to external expectations and pressures (e.g., from supervisors, parents, and policy makers), which. Work-Family Conflict in Teachers result in higher workload, both teaching- and non-teachingrelated (e.g., administrative work), and less time for interactions with colleagues as well as for one’s private life. This may lead to a chronic feeling of work overload, both at school and at home, to the loss of specific professional skills, and to work-related stress. WFC may in turn have negative consequences for both teachers and their students, in terms of teachers’ job burnout, poorer psychological and physical health, reduced organizational citizenship behaviors and job satisfaction, as well as lower students’ perceived teacher autonomy support and autonomous motivation (Bragger et al, 2005; Cinamon and Rich, 2010; Bell et al, 2012; Guglielmi et al, 2012; Gao et al, 2013; Haslam et al, 2013; Santisi et al, 2014; Benevene and Fiorilli, 2015; Fiorilli et al, 2015; Shen et al, 2015; Bélanger et al, 2016; see Amstad et al, 2011, for a meta-analysis across different occupations)
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