ABSTRACT

Despite recognition that farming has substantial economic uncertainty, few recent studies have investigated how economic stress may impact the family dynamic among family farmers. This study sought to address this gap in the literature by examining both personal and global economic stress as a predictor of family distress and work-family conflict among a sample of farm couples. Participating in the study were 217 husband-wife dyads (434 individuals) in which farming was the primary occupation of the husband. A cross-sectional survey design was used to assess economic stress, family distress, and work-family conflict. Spouses completed separate online surveys to ensure independent responding. Both individual (spillover) and dyadic (crossover) effects were examined. Results demonstrated farmers’ personal economic stress was positively related to individual and spousal family distress. Furthermore, family distress was a mediator of the relationship between personal economic stress and work-family conflict for both farmers and their spouses. In sum, economic stress is an important variable to consider when examining the work-family interface of farm couples. Moreover, personal economic stress had a larger impact on family distress and work-family conflict than global economic stress. By providing a better understanding of the family mechanisms by which economic stress may impact farm couples, it is hoped the current results can be used to assist in the development and application of mental health resources for farm families.

摘要

尽管认识到农业具有很大的经济不确定性，但最近很少有研究调查经济压力如何影响家庭农民的家庭动态。本研究试图通过检验个人和全球经济压力作为农业夫妇样本中家庭痛苦和工作-家庭冲突的预测因子来解决文献中的这一差距。参与研究的是 217 对夫妻（434 人），其中农业是丈夫的主要职业。采用横断面调查设计来评估经济压力、家庭困境和工作-家庭冲突。配偶完成了单独的在线调查，以确保独立回应。检查了个体（溢出）和二元（交叉）效应。结果表明，农民的个人经济压力与个人和配偶家庭痛苦呈正相关。此外，家庭困境​​是农民及其配偶个人经济压力与工作-家庭冲突之间关系的中介。总之，经济压力是考察农场夫妇的工作与家庭关系时需要考虑的一个重要变量。此外，个人经济压力对家庭困境和工作家庭冲突的影响大于全球经济压力。通过更好地了解经济压力可能影响农场夫妇的家庭机制，希望目前的结果可用于帮助农场家庭的心理健康资源的开发和应用。家庭困境是农民及其配偶个人经济压力与工作-家庭冲突之间关系的中介。总之，经济压力是考察农场夫妇的工作与家庭关系时需要考虑的一个重要变量。此外，个人经济压力对家庭困境和工作家庭冲突的影响大于全球经济压力。通过更好地了解经济压力可能影响农场夫妇的家庭机制，希望目前的结果可用于帮助农场家庭的心理健康资源的开发和应用。家庭困境是农民及其配偶个人经济压力与工作-家庭冲突之间关系的中介。总之，经济压力是考察农场夫妇的工作与家庭关系时需要考虑的一个重要变量。此外，个人经济压力对家庭困境和工作家庭冲突的影响大于全球经济压力。通过更好地了解经济压力可能影响农场夫妇的家庭机制，希望目前的结果可用于帮助农场家庭的心理健康资源的开发和应用。在考察农场夫妇的工作与家庭关系时，经济压力是一个需要考虑的重要变量。此外，个人经济压力对家庭困境和工作家庭冲突的影响大于全球经济压力。通过更好地了解经济压力可能影响农场夫妇的家庭机制，希望目前的结果可用于帮助农场家庭的心理健康资源的开发和应用。在考察农场夫妇的工作与家庭关系时，经济压力是一个需要考虑的重要变量。此外，个人经济压力对家庭困境和工作家庭冲突的影响大于全球经济压力。通过更好地了解经济压力可能影响农场夫妇的家庭机制，希望目前的结果可用于帮助农场家庭的心理健康资源的开发和应用。