Affiliations:
Effat College of Business, Effat University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Based on Conservation of Resources Theory, this study examines whether family structure (married vs. divorced, separated, or widowed) moderates the indirect effects of Work–Family Conflict (WFC) and Family–Work Conflict (FWC) on intentions to leave (ITL), with employee attitudes (job satisfaction and organizational commitment) acting as mediators. Data were collected from 365 full-time women architects who have caregiving responsibilities for children, elderly individuals, and/or family members with disabilities. The data were analyzed using a moderated mediation approach in SPSS. The results indicate that both WFC and FWC have significant positive effects on ITL, and these effects are fully mediated by job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Furthermore, the indirect effects of WFC and FWC on ITL are significantly weaker among married women, suggesting that spousal support serves as an important resource that buffers the negative impact of conflict. In contrast, these indirect effects remain strong and significant for divorced, separated, or widowed women, identifying them as a higher-risk group for turnover. From a theoretical perspective, the findings extend COR theory by showing that the impact of resource loss depends on the availability of social resources. Future research should investigate whether formal institutional support, such as family-friendly policies, can provide similar benefits to employees without partners.
Work–family conflict, Family structure, Turnover intention, Job satisfaction, Organizational commitment
https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2026.04.016
Javed, U. (2026). Walking a double-edged sword: Examining the moderating role of family structure in the work–family conflict–turnover intention relationship. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 13(4), 164–173. https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2026.04.016