Graduation Year

2009

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Granting Department

Psychology

Major Professor

Tammy D. Allen, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Walter C. Borman, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Peter J. Fabri, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Vicky Phares, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Paul E. Spector, Ph.D.

Keywords

work-family conflict, work interference with family, social support, spouse, receipt of social support, emotional concern, instrumental support, high-stress occupation

Abstract

The present study had four main objectives. First, the relationship between the provision of spousal support and its theoretical antecedents and consequences was assessed as informed by the conservation of resources theory (Hobfoll, 1989). Second, the crossover of physicians' work interference with family conflict on their spouses' family demands (perceived family demands and family hours) was investigated. Next, the mediating role of social support as an explanation for the crossover process was examined using two distinct pathways. Lastly, the fourth objective of the present study was to investigate the relationships described above across multiple time points and using dual-source data (from physicians and their spouses). The final sample included matched responses from 126 couples across two time points. Results were generally supportive of the relationship between the provision of spousal support and the receipt of spousal support, perceived family demands, family hours, and work interference with family conflict (WIF) and were consistent with expected relationships according to COR theory. Results also provided support for the synchronous crossover of WIF on perceived family demands; however, results were generally unsupportive of the mediating role of the provision of spousal support in the crossover process. The present study makes several important contributions to the social support, work-family conflict, and crossover literatures by adding to the knowledge of the antecedents and consequences of the provision of spousal support, the growing body of research examining the crossover of WIF, and the understanding of the mediating role of the provision of spousal support in the crossover process. Major findings and areas of opportunity for future research are discussed.

Download

Share

COinS