Based on the stressor-detachment model, previous research has assumed that work-related ICT use in the evening impairs psychological detachment. However, since most of the studies to date have assessed cross-sectional relationships, little is known about the actual direction of effects. In this 5-day diary study, we implemented a day-level longitudinal model to shed light on the causal relationships between work-related ICT use, detachment, and task progress (N = 340 employees, N = 1289 day-level cases). We also investigated the role of unfinished work tasks because we assumed, based on boundary theory, that they are a driving force leading to impaired detachment and work-related ICT use in the evening. Contrary to current research consensus but in line with our expectations, we found that low psychological detachment increased work-related ICT use and task progress. We found no evidence for reversed lagged effects. These results applied both to planned and unplanned ICT use. Furthermore, our results support the notion that unfinished work tasks precede ICT use and detachment. Thus, our findings suggest that work-related ICT use should not be treated as a stressor in its own right in the stressor-detachment model. Instead, it needs to be investigated as a behavioral outcome that employees engage in when they cannot detach from work.

基于压力-分离模型，先前的研究假设晚上与工作相关的 ICT 使用会损害心理分离。然而，由于迄今为止的大多数研究都评估了横截面关系，因此对影响的实际方向知之甚少。在这项为期 5 天的日记研究中，我们实施了一个日级纵向模型，以阐明与工作相关的 ICT 使用、分离和任务进度之间的因果关系（N  = 340 名员工，N = 1289 个日级病例）。我们还调查了未完成的工作任务的作用，因为我们假设，基于边界理论，它们是导致晚上脱离和工作相关 ICT 使用受损的驱动力。与当前的研究共识相反，但符合我们的预期，我们发现心理疏离程度低会增加与工作相关的 ICT 使用和任务进度。我们没有发现反向滞后效应的证据。这些结果适用于计划内和计划外的 ICT 使用。此外，我们的结果支持未完成的工作任务先于 ICT 使用和分离的概念。因此，我们的研究结果表明，在压力源-分离模型中，与工作相关的 ICT 使用本身不应被视为压力源。反而，