Integrating emotions: Multiple role measurement of emotional work

Abstract

At work and at home, individuals meet role demands to deal with others' emotions, provide support, and build cooperative and positive social relationships. These emotional role demands are distinguished from social support or personality and conceived of as a form of work. A measure of emotional work (IEW) was developed and validated in two studies (n = 448 and n = 261). The measure assesses frequency of behaviours performed to engender positive emotions and emotional wellbeing in others, as well as to build positive interpersonal relationships. Furthermore, the IEW can assess multiple role performance of emotional work. The present research showed stability of structure and internal consistency across six work and family roles (service work, managerial, workmate, spouse, parent, extended family, and friendship). When both work and family roles were considered together, it was evident that some individuals (particularly women) perform far more emotional work than others.