Working Mothers Satisfaction: The Influence of Time Demands and Time- Based Conflict

Abstract

A comprehensive model of work-family conflict and family-work conflict for working mothers was examined and tested. Specifically, the hypothesis that time-based work-family conflict and time-based family-work conflict was expected to fully mediate the relations between work hours, work demands, and family demands on work and family satisfaction. The 677 working mother participants were well-educated and married, a limitation and consideration. Results demonstrated support for the hypothesized fully mediating model. Working mothers with greater demands and higher work hours had higher work-family conflict, and this in turn was related to lower work satisfaction. Working mothers with greater demands experienced significantly higher family-to-work conflict and subsequently had lower family satisfaction. Implications, strengths, limitations and directions for future research are addressed. appear to be involved when evaluating the interplay of work and family by Bryon [10]. The literature, however, is beset with methodological and conceptual flaws and conflicting findings, making theoretical conclusions a cautious fete. Although the WFC literature has advanced and appears substantial, it is nevertheless at times ambiguous. In short, there are five salient problems in the literature: (a) the lack of research on U.S. working mothers [10] (b) the dichotomization of work hours as part-time versus full-time [11], (c) the fragmentation and separate study of WFC and FWC [12], (d) the exclusion of family satisfaction as an outcome of work-related antecedents [13] and (e) the ambiguity of the WFC theoretical model and the need to test specific sources of conflict. The purpose of the current study is to attempt to address some of the deficiencies in the literature and to clarify and expand the work family research and broader theory. Specifically, the intent is to test a mediated model of antecedents (demands and work hours), conflict, and satisfaction that specifically encompasses both work and family components throughout-WFC and FWC mediate the relations between work and family antecedents and work and family satisfaction. This will be accomplished in part by testing empirically the mediation components of Greenhaus and Beutell's model of WFC/FWC. Understanding the Constructs Model of work-family conflict WFC and FWC are widely defined as the "form of inter-role conflict in which the role pressures from the work and family domains are mutually incompatible in some respect. That is, participation in the work role is made more difficult by virtue of participation in the