Correlates of role boundary management strategies in the work from home context: A dyadic approach

Abstract

In today's world, effectively managing the boundaries between work and personal life poses a significant challenge. Therefore, the primary aim of this study is to explore the interplay between family identification, work identification, and couple conflict resolution styles (dominant, avoidant, submissive, integrative, and compromise), and how these factors shape role boundary management strategies. Responses were collected from 110 couples (220 participants) where both partners were engaged in home-based work. Both partners completed three self-reported measures: behavioral strategies in telework, conflict in couple relationships and role identity. We found that wives’ role boundary strategies are not associated with most variables included in the study. However, the husbands’ role boundary strategies were significantly associated with how both partners identify with work and family. Furthermore, the husbands’ role boundary strategies were associated with the wives’ conflict management styles. Taken together, these results suggested that the husbands’ role boundary strategies can be seen as adaptive behaviors that account for the wives’ approach to conflict.