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Doing it together: Qualitative study on barriers and facilitators to dyadic internet interventions for interrole conflict

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Some psychosocial challenges are inherently relational and may be addressed more effectively with dyadic rather than individual interventions. Although uptake and engagement of internet interventions have been widely studied, existing evidence focuses on individually oriented programmes, leaving their potential for dyadic phenomena—such as work–family conflict (WFC) and family–work conflict (FWC)—largely unexplored. To identify barriers and facilitators specific to a dyadic internet intervention aimed at reducing interrole conflict, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 heterosexual, dual-earner couples (N = 40). Thematic analysis revealed five key themes related to potential participation in such an intervention. Motivation for uptake was tied to recognised need, curiosity, and belief in efficacy. Involving both partners promised relational benefits yet introduced scheduling difficulties, highlighting the challenge of “doing it together.” Participants felt ambivalent about disclosing personal matters online, with subtle gendered differences in willingness to share. They also emphasised the importance of flexible, engaging, and personalised pedagogical design. Finally, participants viewed the online format ambivalently—while time constraints were often raised, they were frequently mitigated by the flexibility of access. These findings suggest that effective dyadic internet interventions for WFC/FWC must balance individual and joint activities, incorporate gender-sensitive communication pathways, and tailor content to different couple profiles (e.g., with or without children). Such efforts may enhance engagement and implementation feasibility.

Source: Internet Interventions

DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2025.100880

Authors: Ewelina Smoktunowicz, Jan Maciejewski, Magdalena Lesnierowska, Justyna Ziolkowska, Marta Roczniewska

Institutions: Uniwersytet SWPS, Karolinska Institutet

Language: English

Topic: Work-Family Balance Challenges

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,980