Workaholism and well-being among Japanese dual-earner couples: A spillover-crossover perspective

• Published in: Social science & medicine (1982) 2011-08, Vol.73 (3), p.399-409
• Main Authors: Shimazu, Akihito, Demerouti, Evangelia, Bakker, Arnold B., Shimada, Kyoko, Kawakami, Norito
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Asian people; Biological and medical sciences; Conflict; Conflict (Psychology); Couples; Cross-Over Studies; Crossover; Crossover Dual-earner couples Gender Japan Kessler 6 Psychological distress Workaholism Work-family conflict Employment Family Gender; Dual-earner couples; Employment; Employment - psychology; Employment - statistics & numerical data; Family; Family - psychology; Family relations; Family Work Relationship; Female; Gender; Hours of work; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Japan; Kessler 6; Labour relations; Male; Medical sciences; Mental stress; Miscellaneous; Models, Psychological; Psychological Distress; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Quality of Life - psychology; Regression analysis; Sex Factors; Spillovers; Spouses - psychology; Stress, Psychological; Well Being; Work Attitudes; Work life balance; Work place; Work-family conflict; Workaholism; Working conditions
• ISSN: 0277-9536; 1873-5347
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.05.049

This study among Japanese dual-earner couples examined the impact of workaholism on employees’ and their partners’ work-family conflicts and psychological distress. The matched responses of 994 couples were analyzed with logistic regression analyses. Results showed that workaholics (i.e., employees scoring high on both working excessively and working compulsively) were more likely to experience work-to-family conflict and psychological distress compared to relaxed workers (i.e., low on both working excessively and working compulsively) for both genders. Results also showed that husbands of workaholic women were more likely to experience family-to-work conflict, whereas wives of workaholic men were not. These findings integrate and expand previous findings on workaholism and the recently formulated spillover-crossover model. ► One of the largest community-based studies on work-life balance and health incorporating partner dyads (N = 994 couples). ► Clarified the impacts of workaholism on one’s own and one’s partner’s family functioning and psychological health. ► Workaholic people were more likely to experience work-to-family conflict and psychological distress for both genders. ► Husbands of workaholic women were more likely to experience family-to-work conflict whereas wives of workaholic men were not. ► Our findings replicate and expand previous findings on workaholism and work-family balance in Western countries.