Anticipated Work-Family Conflict:Anticipated Work-Family Conflict:Effects of Attributions Toward Effects of Attributions Toward Life Roles and Self-EfficacyLife Roles and Self-Efficacy

Rachel Gali Cinamon Tel Aviv University

The paper and the presentation can be downloaded at: http://www.tau.ac.il/~cinamon

RationaleRationale::

Career plans of Western adolescents manifest active participation in both work and family roles (Peake & Harris, 2002). Active participation in both demanding spheres may accrue high costs: the work-family conflict, or WFC (Frone, 2003). Anticipated WFC may play a crucial role in the career plans of young adults during emerging adulthood (Barnett et al., 2003).

Rationale (continued):

Role salience plays a major role in the career plans of adolescents and young adults (Niles & Goodnough, 1996). Simultaneous examination of work and family roles’ salience leads to a more precise understanding of career plans (Cinamon & Rich, 2002).Self-efficacy beliefs can explain individuals’ willingness to blend work and family roles.

Goals of the studyGoals of the study::

To simultaneously identify distinct subgroups (profiles) of young adult participants according to their role salience in work and family domains.To examine differences in gender distribution and in anticipated WFC between the profiles. To investigate how the attributions of relative importance to both life roles may contribute to understanding the relation between self-efficacy to manage future conflict and levels of anticipated WFC.

ParticipantsParticipants

387 unmarried students without children from two universities in central Israel (164 males, 222 females, and 1 unknown participant who failed to complete the gender question). Age: 19 to 28 years (M = 26.4; SD = 2.30).81.4% Jewish, 9% Moslem, and 8.8% Christian. Participants attended either the Faculty of Humanities (60%) or the Faculty of Sciences (40%).

Measures

Anticipated WFC: Cinamon and Rich's

(2002) adaptation of Gutek, Searles, and Klepa’s (1991) work-family conflict questionnaire. Fourteen items assessing anticipated WF conflict (α=.78) and anticipated FW conflict (α=.80).

Measures (continued)

Attributions of importance to life roles (Amatea, Cross, Clark, & Bobby, 1986). Thirty items using 5-point Likert-type scale assessing value of and commitment to work, spouse, and parental roles. Cronbach alphas: .68-.82Self-efficacy for WFC management (Cinamon, 2005). Eight items assessing self-efficacy in one’s ability to manage WF conflict and FW conflict (α=.86).

Profiles of Attribution of Importance

146

55

9888

0

50

100

150

Dual highWorkFamilyDual low

Gender Distribution Between the Profiles

Males41%Females

59%

Dual high

Male53%

Females47%

Work

Male32%

Females68%

Family

Male51%

Females49%

Dual low

Dual high Work

Family Dual low

Anticipated WFC among the Profiles

2.4

2.7

2.29

2.442.5

2.37

2.552.54

22.12.22.32.42.52.62.72.8

Dual highWorkFamilyDual low

W-F conflict F-W conflict

Levels of Self-Efficacy to Handle Future Conflict among the Profiles

7.255.98

7.096.46 6.676.8

5.865.77

0

2

4

6

8

Dual highWorkFamilyDual low

W-F efficacy F-W efficacy

Discussion

Emerging adulthood and career plans

Attribution of importance to work and family roles, and self-efficacy to blend them effectively

Implications for career counselors