General mental ability, conscientiousness, and the work–family interface: A test of mediating pathways

This study proposed a model in which employee general mental ability (GMA) and conscientiousness are linked to work–family conflict and enrichment through their relationship with occupational prestige and coping styles. We evaluated this model in a sample of 709 working adults from the National Surv...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inPersonnel psychology Vol. 72; no. 2; pp. 291 - 321
Main Authors Huang, Jason L., Shaffer, Jonathan A., Li, Andrew, King, Robert A.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Durham Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.06.2019
Subjects
conscientiousness
Coping
coping styles
general mental ability
Individual Differences
Job Enrichment
National Surveys
occupational prestige
Occupational psychology
Reputation
State Surveys
Work life balance
work–family conflict
work–family enrichment
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Summary:This study proposed a model in which employee general mental ability (GMA) and conscientiousness are linked to work–family conflict and enrichment through their relationship with occupational prestige and coping styles. We evaluated this model in a sample of 709 working adults from the National Survey of Midlife Development II in the United States. Results indicate that, through occupational prestige and subsequent psychological job demands and financial well‐being, GMA was related to work‐to‐family conflict (WFC) and family‐to‐work conflict (FWC). GMA was also related to work‐to‐family enrichment (WFE) but not family‐to‐work enrichment (FWE) through occupational prestige and autonomy. In contrast, conscientiousness did not influence work–family outcomes through occupational prestige. Additionally, GMA and conscientiousness were both related to WFE/FWE through problem coping, whereas conscientiousness was related to FWC through avoidance coping. Examining the relative effects of GMA and conscientiousness, we found that the indirect effects of GMA through occupational prestige were stronger than those of conscientiousness, whereas the indirect effects of conscientiousness through problem coping were stronger than those of GMA. We discuss our findings in terms of the mechanisms through which stable individual differences may exert influences on work–family outcomes.
ISSN:0031-5826
1744-6570
DOI:10.1111/peps.12307