The chicken or the egg? A meta-analysis of panel studies of the relationship between work-family conflict and strain

Does work-family conflict predict strain, does strain predict work-family conflict, or are they reciprocally related? To answer these questions, we used meta-analytic path analyses on 33 studies that had repeatedly measured work interference with family (WIF) or family interference with work (FIW) and strain. Additionally, this study sheds light on whether relationships between WIF/FIW and work-specific strain support the popular cross-domain perspective or the less popular matching perspective. Results showed reciprocal effects; that is, that WIF predicted strain (β = .08) and strain predicted WIF (β = .08). Similarly, FIW and strain were reciprocally related, such that FIW predicted strain (β = .03) and strain predicted FIW (β = .05). These findings held for both men and women and for different time lags between the 2 measurement waves. WIF had a stronger effect on work-specific strain than did FIW, supporting the matching hypothesis rather than the cross-domain perspective.