Linking Parent’s Work-Family Interface to Children’s Mental Health Difficulties: A Mediated Path through Parental Psychopathology and Family Role Performance

Abstract

This study investigated whether work-family interface (WFI) affects children’s mental health difficulties through parental family role performance and psychopathology. The study sample was composed of 444 biological parents of children between 4 and 17 years old. The WFI, parental family role performance, psychopathology, and children’s mental health difficulties were measured using the Work-Home Interference Nijmegen Survey, Family Role Performance Scale, General Health Questionnaire, and parent-reported Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire, respectively. SEM-based path analyses suggest that parents’ psychological strain and family role performance are total mediators linking work-family interface with children’s mental health difficulties. These findings support the design of organizational and family interventions focused on balancing work and home roles. Benefits of these programs can be transmitted from working parents to their children through improvements in the family environment.