Examining the Influence of Work–Family Conflict on Job Stress, Job Satisfaction, and Organizational Commitment Among Correctional Officers

• Published date: 01 March 2020
• Date: 01 March 2020
• DOI: 10.1177/0734016819863099
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Examining the Influence of

Work–Family Conflict on Job

Stress, Job Satisfaction, and

Organizational Commitment

Among Correctional Officers

Samuel G. Vickovic

1

and Weston J. Morrow

2

Abstract

Correctional officers perform a unique job that can lead to various negative outcomes. Under-

standing factors that can have harmful effects on important organizational attitudes like job stress,

job satisfaction, and organizational commitment is imperative for the effective management of

correctional institutions. Using survey data from 641 correctional officers employed at two

Southwestern state-run prison facilities, the current study examines the influence of two measures

of work–family conflict (WFC, strain- and time- based) on job stress, job satisfaction, and organi-

zational commitment while controlling for many known antecedents of these variables. The results

suggest that strain-based conflict is a significant predictor of job stress and job satisfaction, while

time-based conflict only predicted job satisfaction. Neither measure of WFC had a significant

relationship with organizational commitment. These findings are further contextualized in the

discussion section with an emphasis on potential policy implications.

Keywords

correctional officers, work–family conflict, job stress, organizational commitment, job satisfaction

Correctional officers are the most important resource necessary for accomplishing the goals and

objectives of the institution (Archambeault & Archambeault, 1982; Lambert et al., 2009). These

officers frequently work in coercive environments (Armstrong & Griffin, 2004; Griffin, 2001) where

they must manage and control inmates who may be unwilling to cooperate, dangerous, unpredict-

able, and/or volatile (Armstrong & Griffin, 2004; Dowden & Tellier, 2004; Schaufeli & Peeters,

2000; Tracy & Scott, 2006). For such reasons, corre ctional scholars often refer to correctional

officers as “the backbone of correctional institutions” (Lambert, Kelley, & Hogan, 2013, p. 410).

1

California State University, Long Beach, CA, USA

2

University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, USA

Corresponding Author:

Samuel G. Vickovic, California State University Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA.

Email: sam.vickovic@csulb.edu

Criminal Justice Review

2020, Vol. 45(1) 5-25

ª2019 Georgia State University

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DOI: 10.1177/0734016819863099

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Due to the distinctive work environment of correctional officers and the role these individuals

play in fulfilling the goals and objectives of the institution, researchers have focused a considerable

amount of time and energy toward understanding a number of key organizational attitudes associ-

ated with the healthy functioning of correctional institutions. Among these key organizational

attitudes, job stress, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment are often of central interest

as they are significantly correlated with several important outcomes. Specifically, correctional

officers who are not stressed, are satisfied with their job, and are committed to the organization

experience increased job performance, prosocial organizational behavior, increased human service

orientation, decreased absenteeism, and decreased turnover intent (Garner, Knight, & Simpson,

2007; Hepburn & Knepper, 1993 ; Hogan, Lambert, & Griffin, 2013 ; Keinan & Malach-Pines,

2007; Lambert, Hogan, Kelley, Kim, & Garland, 2014; Lambert et al., 2009; Lambert, Hogan,

Paoline, & Baker, 2005; Maslach & Jackson, 1981; Schaufeli & Peeters, 2000). Considering the

outcomes associated with these organizational variables, it is important to understand what factors

influence the levels of job stress, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment because it may

enhance institutional safety while simultaneously reducing fiscal costs.

One variable that has received attention among the predictors of these organizational attitudes

is work–family conflict (WFC). WFC occurs when aspects of work and family are incompatible

with one another (Greenhaus & Beutell, 1985; Kahn, Wolfe, Quinn, Snoek, & Rosenthal, 1964;

Lambert, Hogan, Camp, & Ventura, 2006). A growing body of research suggests that WFC is a

significant predictor of job stress (Armstrong, Atkin-Plunk, & Wells, 2015; Griffin, 2006;

Lambert et al., 2006; Lambert, Hogan, & Griffin, 2007; Lambert, Altheimer, & Hogan, 201 0a;

Liu, Lambert, Jiang, & Zhang, 2017; Triplett, Mullings, & Scarborough, 1999). Conversely, the

research concerning the relationship between WFC, organizational commitment, and job satisfac-

tion is mixed (Armstrong et al., 2015; Hogan, Lambert, Jenkins, & Wambold, 2006; Lambert

et al., 2006, 2007, 2010; Lambert, Hogan, & Barton, 2002a; Lambert, Hogan, Barton, Jiang, &

Baker, 2008).

Although previous research has provided a solid foundation for WFC scholarship, there is still a

considerable amount of room to develop this body of literature. The current study seeks to inform the

WFC literature in several ways by following up and expanding on previous research (see Hogan

et al., 2006; Lambert et al., 2002a, Lambert et al., 2008; Liu et al., 2017). Similar to replication

research, follow-up studies are a fundamental component of science because it helps to control for

sampling error, artifacts (lack of internal validity), and fraud; generalize the results to a larger and/or

different population; and authenticate hypotheses from previous research studies (Schmidt, 2009).

The current study, therefore, examines the effect of WFC on job stress, job satisfaction, and

organizational commitment from two prisons located in the Southwestern United States. Addition-

ally, the current study controls for many known antecedents of job stress, job satisfaction, and

organizational commitment that previous research did not include in their analyses. Through the

inclusion of such controls, the true strength of WFC will be better understood in the context of the

outcome variables of interest. The results of this study not only provide a better understanding of

these relationships but also offer a backdrop for policy recommendations concerning these organi-

zational attitudes.

WFC

The unique job that correctional officers perform can potentially have a negative impact on their

homelife. Although research regarding correctional officers focuses on many aspects of job duties

and the work environment, a growing body of literature examines how workplace responsibilities

and duties often conflict with correctional officers’ homelife resulting in problems in the workplace

(Griffin, 2006; Lambert et al., 2006, 2007, 2010, 2013; Lambert & Hogan, 2010b; Lambert, Hogan,

6Criminal Justice Review 45(1)