Associations Between Work-Family Conflict, Psychological Distress, and Well-Being Among Taiwanese Clergy

The study examined the associations between work-family conflict (WFC), psychological distress, and well-being in a sample of 336 clergy (mean age = 46.1 years, SD = 11.7 years) in Taiwan. Specifically, we examined how each of the four types of WFC (time-based work interference with family, time-based family interference with work, strain-based work interference with family, and strain-based family interference with work) were related to psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and burnout) and well-being (life satisfaction, flourishing, and spiritual well-being). Results from the bivariate analysis indicated that all four types of WFC were positively associated with psychological distress and negatively associated with well-being. However, when they were modeled simultaneously in the structural equation model, only strain-based WFC, but not time-based WFC, were related to the outcomes. Finally, younger, female, or single clergy, as well as clergy who work alone or who earn below the median income reported higher levels of psychological distress and lower levels of well-being compared with their counterparts. Practical implications of protecting and promoting clergy mental health were discussed in the article.