Work-family conflict and mental health among Chinese underground coal miners: the moderating role of psychological capital

ABSTRACT

Work-family conflict among underground coal miners not only leads their mental disorders but also may cause coal accidents. The purpose of the study is to explore the relationship between Work-family conflict (WFC) and mental health, testing the Psychological capital (PsyCap) plays a moderating role in this relationship. The cross-sectional survey was performed in Shanxi Province, China during the August to October 2017. 986 miners from five coal mines were recruited in this study. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were performed to explore the moderating role of psychological capital. The result showed that Work-family conflict was positively related to Anxiety Symptoms and Depressive Symptoms. Psychological capital (PsyCap) moderated the relationship between WFC and Anxiety, Depressive Symptoms. The findings illustrate that psychological capital was an important way to improve miners’ mental health. Managers should promote organization support and investment in PsyCap to improve miners’ mental health.

KEYWORDS:

• Underground coal miners
• work-family
• conflict
• mental
• health
• psychological capital

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all leadership in five coal mines who assist in us acquire written informed consent from the participants for our survey. We also thank all miners who took part in our research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the 2018 Shanxi Province High Education Humanities and Social Sciences Key Research Base Project (Grant No.〔2018〕33)