Work–Family Conflict: Experiences and Health Implications Among Immigrant Latinos

Joseph G. Grzywacz, Thomas A. Arcury, and Antonio Marı´n(Wake Forest University School of Medicine), Lourdes Carrillo and Bless Burke(Centro Latino of Caldwell County), Michael L. Coates and Sara A. Quandt(Wake Forest University School of Medicine)
Work–family conflict research has focused almost exclusively on professional, White adults. The goal of this article was to expand the understanding of culture and industry in shaping experiences andconsequences of work–family conflict. Using in-depth interview data (n
26) and structured survey data(n
200) from immigrant Latinos employed in the poultry processing industry, the authors evaluated predictions drawn from emerging models emphasizing the influence of cultural characteristics such as collectivism and gender ideology on work–family conflict. Results indicated that immigrant Latinos in poultry processing experienced infrequent work-to-family conflict; both the level and the antecedents of work-to-family conflict differed by gender, with physical demands contributing to greater conflict forwomen but not men. In addition, there was little evidence that work–family conflict was associated with health in this population. These results demonstrate how traditional models of work–family conflict need to be modified to reflect the needs and circumstances of diverse workers in the new global economy.
Keywords: work–family conflict, immigrant workers, culture, job demands, quantitative -qualitative
{DOWNLOAD HERE