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Prevalence of work‐family conflict: Are work and family boundaries asymmetrically permeable?
Author(s) -
Frone Michael R.,
Russell Marcia,
Cooper M. Lynne
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of organizational behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.938
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1099-1379
pISSN - 0894-3796
DOI - 10.1002/job.4030130708
Subject(s) - work (physics) , psychology , work–family conflict , sample (material) , family life , social psychology , sociology , gender studies , chemistry , chromatography , mechanical engineering , engineering
Abstract This study tested Pleck's (1977) hypothesis concerning gender differences in the relative permeability of work and family boundaries. Data were obtained from a randomly drawn community sample of 631 employed adults (278 men; 353 women). Respondents reported that work interfered with family life (W→F conflict) more frequently than family life interfered with work (F→W conflict). These results suggest that work and family boundaries are indeed asymmetrically permeable with family boundaries being more permeable than work boundaries. However, there was no evidence of gender differences in the pattern of asymmetry, indicating that the dynamics of work and family boundaries may operate similarly among men and women. Implications for future research are discussed.