Effects of work spillover on marital satisfaction

Abstract

The broad aim of the present research was to examine the existence and nature of work-to-home negative spillover in a sample of newly qualified teachers where men and women would be performing the same job and be subject to broadly similar work stresses. Changes in marital satisfaction were examined in relation to time, sex and status (teacher or partner) of participant, and in relation to specific variables selectal; as potential mediators or moderators of the work spillover—marital satisfaction relationship. Following a small-scale preliminary study, a group of newly qualified teachers (n92) from secondary schools all over England were tested by postal questionnaire, along with their partners, at three points during their first year, of teaching.
Most female teachers experienced negative spillover in most areas of domestic lifr throughout thè year, but by the end of the year it was only in the household role and in demands on time that a majority of male teachers experienced negative spillover. Perception of high work spilover among both female teachers' and male partners was associated with high decline in marital satisfaction. Among both teachers anth partners, low general support from the main supervisor was associated with high increased marital satisfaction.
General support moderated the work spillover-marital satisfaction relationship amongihe ISake teachers and dispositional optimism was the moderator among the male teachers. There was no common mediator of the work spillover-marital satisfaction relationship among the four subgroups. For fthiale teachers the mediators were: Unsinictured leisure and that with partner; for male teachers: Active leisure,-.changes in the quality of sexual activity and partners' general support; for female partners: Division of labour and changes in the quality of sexual activity; for male partners: Changes in the quality of sexual activity;
These findings not only contribute to the development of a mediational model of the work-fämily interface but also have implications for the counselling of couples trying to reconcile the multiple demands of home and work and their effects on the marital relationship.