Abstract
Orientation: Recently, a new work-nonwork interference instrument was developed to measure the interference between work and nonwork roles in the South African context (Koekemoer, Mostert & Rothmann, 2010). However, no information is available on the psychometric properties of this instrument.Research purpose: The objectives of this study were to investigate the internal validity (construct, discriminant and convergent validity), reliability and external validity (relationship with theoretically relevant variables, including job characteristics, home characteristics, burnout, ill health and life satisfaction) of the instrument.Motivation for the study: Work-family interaction is a key topic receiving significant research attention. In order to facilitate comparison across work-family studies, the use of psychometrically sound instruments is of great importance.Research design, approach and method: A cross-sectional survey design was used for the target population of married employees with children working at a tertiary institution in the North West province (n = 366). In addition to the new instrument, job characteristics, home characteristics, burnout, ill health and life satisfaction were measured.Main findings: The results provided evidence for construct, discriminant and convergent validity, reliability and significant relations with external variables.Practical/managerial implications: The new instrument can be used by researchers and managers as a test under development to investigate the interference between work and different nonwork roles (i.e. parental role, spousal role, work role, domestic role) and specific relations with antecedents (e.g. job/home characteristics) and well-being (e.g. burnout, ill health and life satisfaction).Contribution/value-add: This study provides preliminary information on the psychometric properties of a new instrument that measures the interference between work and nonwork.
Highlights
Key focus of the study and problem statementAccording to Lingard and Francis (2005), individuals are involved in multiple roles in their personal lives and are under severe pressure to balance or integrate their involvement in various social roles
Several researchers have suggested that conflict could arise between the work domain and these other specific roles or domains in an individual’s personal life (Doumas, Margolin & John, 2008; Glaser, Evandrou & Tomassini, 2006; Kirchmeyer, 1992; Lee & Phillips, 2006; Nordenmark, 2002), few instruments have been developed that measure the specific interference between work and other nonwork roles (Aryee, 1992; Frone & Rice, 1987; Mallard & Lance, 1998; Premeaux, Adkins & Mossholder, 2007; Small & Riley, 1990) and there is no psychometrically sound instrument in the South African context that measures the interference between work and different nonwork roles
The results showed acceptable fit for this hypothesised four-factor model (χ2 = 272, 25, (N = 366) c2/df = 3.24, Incremental Fit Index (IFI) = 0.95, Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = 0.94 and Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.95; RMSEA = 0.08), inspection of the modification indices and a high standardised residual covariance (3.40) between work-parent item 4 and work-spouse item 2 suggested that the hypothesised model could be improved
Summary
Key focus of the study and problem statementAccording to Lingard and Francis (2005), individuals are involved in multiple roles in their personal lives and are under severe pressure to balance or integrate their involvement in various social roles (e.g. parental role, spousal role, leisure role, work role, homemaker role). Within a modern society that is faced with a frantic pace of life, the interaction between work and personal life is a key topic that has received significant research attention over the past few years (Allen, Herst, Bruck & Sutton, 2000; Bulger, Matthews & Hoffman, 2007; Frone, 2003; Geurts & Demerouti, 2003; Heraty, Morley, & Cleveland, 2008; Olson-Buchanan & Boswell, 2006). The second issue concerns the lack of thorough reporting of psychometric properties regarding the instruments being used to measure interaction between work and personal life (Parasuraman & Greenhaus, 2002; Robinson, Shaver & Wrightsman, 1991; Schultheiss, 2006; Voydanoff, 2007) (for an overview of other issues, see Koekemoer et al, 2010)
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