Year: 2010
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This thesis examined both dispositional and structural factors influencing fathers' workfamily life using Bronfenbrenner's (1979, 2005) Bioecological systems theory as a framework situating fathers within a nested set of contextual environments.Microsystems of family and work are proximal systems with most immediate influences on individual behaviour (Bronfenbrenner, 1979).This thesis focused on fathers and examines the negative aspects of work and family spillover and role conflict in assessing their levels of work-family conflict across three studies.Study 1 examined fathers' working hours and working patterns from a secondary analysis of two UK government datasets (n179 and n1096).Findings from Study 1 showed that: fathers' working long hours were most likely to reduce their work hours after the birth of their child; that the majority of fathers used some form of flexible working and; that fatherhood status predicted longer work hours in comparison to non-fathers.Study 2 evaluated two concepts of emotional intelligence and considers the relationships between these emotional intelligence concepts and workfamily conflict in a small sample of public sector fathers (n33).Findings for Study 2 showed moderate associations between Trait EI and work-family conflict, but no significant associations between Ability EI and work-family conflict.The final study assessed the relative contribution of dispositional factors and structural factors on work-family conflict in a sample of 186 fathers.Findings from Study 3a showed that global Trait EI influences work-family conflict in a model with other known work-family conflict antecedents and that the sub-domain of Trait EI Self-control appeared to particularly predict work-family conflict.Findings from Study 3b showed that biosystem variables have most influence on Strain based work-family conflict, whilst work microsystem variables have most influence on Work interfering with family conflict.These findings are discussed with reference to role theory, the Bioecosystem model and stress appraisal theory and implications for policy evaluated.organisations and schools who enabled access to them.I am extremely grateful to my supervisor Prof. Margaret O'Brien who has provided unfaltering encouragement
Author: Laura Biggart
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W811009991