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Social Policies and Families in Stress: Gender and Educational Differences in Work–Family Conflict from a European Perspective

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  • Natascha Notten

    (Radboud University)

  • Daniela Grunow

    (Goethe University)

  • Ellen Verbakel

    (Radboud University)

Abstract

In modern welfare states, family policies may resolve the tension between employment and care-focused demands. However these policies sometimes have adverse consequences for distinct social groups. This study examined gender and educational differences in working parents’ perceived work–family conflict and used a comparative approach to test whether family policies, in particular support for child care and leave from paid work, are capable of reducing work–family conflict as well as the gender and educational gaps in work–family conflict. We use data from the European Social Survey 2010 for 20 countries and 5296 respondents (parents), extended with information on national policies for maternity and parental leave and child care support from the OECD Family Database. Employing multilevel analysis, we find that mothers and the higher educated report most work–family conflict. Policies supporting child care reduce the level of experienced work–family conflict; family leave policy appears to have no alleviating impact on working parents’ work–family conflict. Our findings indicate that family policies appear to be unable to reduce the gender gap in conflict perception and even widen the educational gap in work–family conflict.

Suggested Citation

  • Natascha Notten & Daniela Grunow & Ellen Verbakel, 2017. "Social Policies and Families in Stress: Gender and Educational Differences in Work–Family Conflict from a European Perspective," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 132(3), pages 1281-1305, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:132:y:2017:i:3:d:10.1007_s11205-016-1344-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-016-1344-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Egidio Riva & Mario Lucchini & Marcello Russo, 2019. "Societal Gender Inequality as Moderator of the Relationship Between Work–Life Fit and Subjective Well-Being: A Multilevel Analysis Across European Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(2), pages 657-691, June.
    3. Verónica Miguel-Luken, 2019. "Cross-National Comparison on Family Satisfaction: Super-Specialization Versus Super-Equality," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 145(1), pages 303-327, August.
    4. Caroline Berghammer & Anna Matysiak & Torkild Hovde Lyngstad & Francesca Rinesi, 2024. "Is single parenthood increasingly an experience of less-educated mothers? A European comparison over five decades," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 51(34), pages 1059-1094.
    5. Andrea Rørvik Marti & Eirik Degerud & Tom Sterud, 2022. "Onset of Work-Life Conflict Increases Risk of Subsequent Psychological Distress in the Norwegian Working Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-9, October.
    6. Yvonne Lott, 2020. "Does Flexibility Help Employees Switch Off from Work? Flexible Working-Time Arrangements and Cognitive Work-to-Home Spillover for Women and Men in Germany," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 151(2), pages 471-494, September.
    7. Chenghua Guan & Ling Zuo, 2021. "Sustainability of Regional Factors on the Gendered Division of Housework in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-16, September.
    8. Muhammad Tariq Majeed & Shamsa Kanwal, 2019. "The Global Integration and Transmission of Social Values: A Case of Family Ties," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 141(2), pages 703-729, January.
    9. Christina Bornatici & Marieke Heers, 2020. "Work–Family Arrangement and Conflict: Do Individual Gender Role Attitudes and National Gender Culture Matter?," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(4), pages 46-60.

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