Balancing Work and Family: The Impact of Work-Family Conflict on Children's Behavior in Australia

Alexandra Lipasova

Abstract


This study examines the impact of work-family conflict (WFC) and parental irritability on children's externalizing problems in various family structures in Australia. The findings reveal that for mothers from intact families, WFC is a predictor of children's externalizing problems throughout their childhood and adolescence. However, for fathers from intact families and sole mothers, WFC is not associated with children's externalizing problems. Moreover, while the association between paternal irritability and children's externalizing problems exists for all groups of parents, it is stronger for mothers than for fathers. These results highlight the potential negative outcomes for children resulting from parental distress in an adverse context of weak family policies in a liberal welfare state and the persistence of traditional gender values in couples.


Keywords


work-family conflict, parents’ irritability, externalizing problems of children, parenting, family structure

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.62174/%7bpsocial}.v9i2.9154

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