Collegiate Athletic Trainers' Experiences With Work-Family Conflict and Work-Family Guilt Based Upon Organizational Factors

Abstract

Context: The collegiate athletic setting has been described as having high workloads and working demands. The extensive time commitment required of athletic trainers working in this setting has been identified as a precursor to work-family conflict (WFC) and work-family guilt (WFG). Although individualized, experiences in the work-life interface can largely be affected by organizational factors (ie, elements specific to the workplace). Staff size and patient load may influence the athletic trainer's feelings of WFC and WFG, yet these factors have not been directly studied.

Objective: To examine organizational factors and experiences of WFC and WFG among collegiate athletic trainers.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Collegiate setting.

Patients or other participant(s): A total of 615 (females = 391, gender variant or nonconforming = 1, males = 222, preferred not to answer = 1) athletic trainers responded to an online survey. The average age of participants was 33 ± 9 years, and they were Board of Certification certified for 10 ± 8 years. A total of 352 participants (57.2%) worked in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, 99 in Division II (16.1%), and 164 in Division III (26.7%).

Main outcome measure(s): Participants responded to demographic and workplace characteristic questions (organizational infrastructure, staff size, and number of varsity-level athletic teams). They completed WFC and WFG scales that have been previously validated and used in the athletic trainer population.

Results: Work-family conflict and WFG were universally experienced among our participants, with WFC scores predicting WFG scores. Participants reported more time-based conflict than strain- or behavior-based conflict. No differences in WFC and WFG scores were found among organizational infrastructures. Weak positive correlations were present between staff size and WFC scores and WFG scores. The number of athletic teams was not associated with WFC or WFG scores.

Conclusions: Organizational factors are an important component of the work-life interface. From an organizational perspective, focusing on improving work-life balance for the athletic trainer can help mitigate experiences with WFC and WFG.

Keywords: balance; structural variables; work-life interface.