Work–Family Conflict Scale: Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version

Yura Loscalzo,Claudia Gonnelli,Rosalba Raffagnino,Marco Giannini

doi:10.1177/2158244019861495

Yura Loscalzo, Claudia Gonnelli + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244019861495

Copy DOI

Journal: SAGE Open	Publication Date: Jul 1, 2019
Citations: 11	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: University of Florence, University of Siena

Abstract

In literature, there are many instruments for measuring the work–family conflict (W-F-C). The Work–Family Conflict Scale (WFCS) is one of the most used tools. This study aimed to evaluate its psychometric properties on a sample of 684 Italian workers (42.1% males, 57.9% females, mean age = 45.51 ± 10.91). We also evaluated if there were some demographic differences in the W-F-C, with relation to gender, the presence of children, and the kind of job (i.e., medical doctors and other health professionals, teachers and researchers, employees, manual workers, self-employed workers). We found that the Italian WFCS has good psychometric properties. Moreover, contrary to our hypotheses, males experience higher W-F-C than females, and the lowest level of W-F-C characterize doctors and other health professionals. Manual workers and self-employed workers seem to be the two job categories that experience the highest level of W-F-C.

Highlights

In literature, there has been an increasing interest on the interface and the reciprocal impact between work and family
The results of the psychometric analyses showed that the Italian version of the Work–Family Conflict Scale (WFCS) has good psychometric properties
With regard to differences between people with or without children, we found that people who have children experience a higher level of work–family conflict (W-F-C) (WFCS total score) and, a higher level of time-based and strain-based family-to-work conflict (FWC), compared to people without children

Summary

Introduction

There has been an increasing interest on the interface and the reciprocal impact between work and family. This might be due to some work-related changes, such as dual-earning partners, the greater participation of women to the workforce, and a blurring of gender roles (Alby, Fatigante, & Zucchermaglio, 2014). An extensive research area focused on the work–family conflict (W-F-C), namely an inter-role conflict that may have many negative outcomes for the individuals, and their families and their organizations (Greenhaus & Beutell, 1985). We aim to contribute to the Italian validation of the Work–Family Conflict Scale (WFCS; Carlson, Kacmar, & William, 2000), because it is one of the most used instruments for evaluating the W-F-C

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion