A Taxonomy of Behavioral Strategies for Coping with Work-Home Role Conflict

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to catalogue specific behavioral strategies used by dual-career couples to solve work-home role conflicts in each of seven broad areas: domestic chores, maintaining social relations, role cycling, job relocations, sex-role socialization, social pressure, and direct competition between spouses. Twenty-four men and women from dual-career families were interviewed using the critical incident method. Results show that six of the seven dimensions could be supported empirically with behaviorally defined solutions; the exception being sex-role socialization. Differences between the results of this study and those of previous studies which have investigated coping behaviors are discussed, and suggestions are offered as to how the findings may be of help to practitioners.

Keywords

role conflicts coping behavior dual careers sex roles role perception working women family relations personnel adulthood

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

AMATEA, E. S. , & FONG-BEYETTE, M. L. Through a different lens: Examining professional women's interrole coping by focus and mode. Sex Roles, 1987, 17, 237-252.

DANIELS, P. , & WEINGARTEN, K. Sooner or later: The timing of parenthood in adult lives. New York: W. W. Norton, 1982.

FLANAGAN, J. The critical incident technique. Psychological Bulletin, 1954, 51, 327-358.

GILBERT, L. A. Men in dual-career families: Current realities and future prospects. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1985.

GILBERT, L. A. , & RACHLIN, V. Mental health and psychological functioning of dual-career families. The Counseling Psychologist, 1987, 15, 7-49.

GREENGLASS, E. R. , PANTONY, K. L. , & BURKE, R. J. A gender-role perspective on role conflict, work stress and social support. Joumal of Social Behavior and Personality, 1988 3, 317-328.

GREENHAUS, J. H. , & BEUTELL, N. J. Sources of conflict between work and family roles, Academy of Management Review, 1985, 10, 76-88.

HALL, D. T. A model of coping with role conflict. The role behavior of college-educated women. Administrative Science Quarterly, December 1972, 471-485.

HILLER, D. V. , & PHILLIBER, W. W. Predicting marital and career success among dual-worker couples. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 1982, 44, 53-62.

10.

HOLTZMAN, E. H. , & GILBERT, L. A. Social support networks for parenting and psychological well-being among dual-earner Mexican-American families. Journal of Community Psychology, 1987, 15, 175-186.

11.

KANFER, F. H. Self-management methods. In F. H. Danfer (Ed.), Helping people change. New York: Pergamon Press, 1980.

12.

LEWIS, S. N. , & COOPER, C. L. Stress in two-earner couples and stage in the life-cycle. Journal of Occupational Psychology, 1987, 60, 289-303.

13.

NICHOLSON, N. , & WEST, M. Future uncertain: Expected vs. attained job mobility among managers. Journal of Occupational Psychology, 1985, 58, 313-320.

14.

O'NEIL, J. M. , FISHMAN, D. M. , & KINSELLA-SHAW, M. Dual-career couples' career transitions and normative dilemmas: A preliminary assessment model. The Counseling Psychologist, 1987, 15, 50-96.

15.

PLECK, J. H. Working wives/working husbands. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage, 1985.

16.

RAPOPORT, R. , & RAPOPORT, R. N. The dual-career family: A variant pattern and social change. Human Relations, 1969, 22, 3-30.

17.

RAPOPORT, R. , & RAPOPORT, R. N. Dual-career families reexamined. New York: Harper and Row, 1976.

18.

SEKARAN, U. Dual-career families. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1986.

19.

VENTURA, J. N. The stresses of parenthood reexamined. Family Relations, 1987, 36, 26-29.

20.

WEST, M. , & NICHOLSON, N. The outcomes of job change. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 1989, 34, 335-349.

21.

WIERSMA, U. J. , & v.d. BERG, P. Work-home role conflict, family climate, and domestic responsibilities among men and women. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 1991, 21, 1207-1217.