Leader–Member Exchange and Work–Family Interactions: The Mediating Role of Self-Reported Challenge- and Hindrance-Related Stress

ABSTRACT

The authors examined the relations among 4 components of the leader–member exchange (LMX) relationship (i.e., contribution, affect, loyalty, and professional respect) and the level of work–family conflict and work–family facilitation that an employee experiences. Further, the authors examined the mediating role of challenge- and hindrance-related self-reported stress on relations. In doing this, the authors linked positive and negative aspects of LMX, stressors, work–family conflict, and work–family facilitation. Data from a sample of full-time employed individuals support some hypothesized relations between components of LMX and work–family interactions. Also, results support the mediating role of hindrance-related stress in the relation between (a) the affect and loyalty components of LMX and (b) work–family conflict. The authors discuss the implications and limitations of their findings.

Keywords:

• challenge
• hindrance
• leader–member exchange
• stress
• work–family conflict

Acknowledgments

A version of this article was presented at the 23rd annual Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology Conference in San Francisco, CA. The authors thank Travis Tubré and William Weyhrauch for helpful comments on earlier drafts of this manuscript.

Notes

^aCoded 1 for female, 0 for male.

*p <.05.

**p <.01.

*p <.05.

**p <.01.

^† p <.10.

*p <.05.

**p <.01.