ABSTRACT
Research on the interface between work and family has exploded over the past 2 decades.
Grounded in diverse theoretical foundations ranging from crossover theory (e.g.,
Westman & Etzion, 1995) to institutional perspectives (e.g., Arthur, 2003), scholars have
recently made great strides in exploring how the relationship between work and family
impacts various outcomes. The breadth of outcomes investigated at the individual level is
staggering. Researchers have considered attitudinal outcomes, including attitudes such as
job satisfaction (e.g., Kossek & Ozeki, 1998) and organizational commitment (e.g.,
Lyness & Thompson, 1997); behavioral outcomes, such as organizational citizenship
behaviors (e.g., Lambert, 2000), substance abuse (e.g., Allen, Herst, Bruck, & Sutton,
2000), and absenteeism (e.g., Thomas & Ganster, 1995); and, health outcomes, including
both psychological (e.g., Frone, Russell, & Cooper, 1997) and physical ailments (e.g.,
Adams & Jex, 1999). At the organizational level, scholars have focused their attention
primarily on organizational culture (e.g., Thompson, Beauvais, & Lyness, 1999) and
family-friendly practices (e.g., Lambert, 2000). Taken as a whole, these findings reinforce
the notion that work-family research has the potential to practically benefit individuals
and organizations in a diverse number of areas.
