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. 2019 Apr 18;16(8):1402.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph16081402.

Can Work Engagement Be a Resource for Reducing Workaholism's Undesirable Outcomes? A Multiple Mediating Model Including Moderated Mediation Analysis

Liliya Scafuri Kovalchuk  1 , Carmela Buono  2 , Emanuela Ingusci  3 , Francesco Maiorano  4 , Elisa De Carlo  5 , Andreina Madaro  6 , Paola Spagnoli  7
Affiliations

Can Work Engagement Be a Resource for Reducing Workaholism's Undesirable Outcomes? A Multiple Mediating Model Including Moderated Mediation Analysis

Liliya Scafuri Kovalchuk et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

This study aimed to explore a possible process explaining the relationship between workaholism and sleep disorders, including two mediators: work-family conflict and emotional exhaustion. Moreover, since a possible buffering role of work engagement was recently proposed against the detrimental effects of workaholism, the aim was to examine the moderating role of work engagement in the relationship between workaholism and several outcomes such as work-family conflict, emotional exhaustion, and sleep disorders. Two models were tested using conditional process analysis for testing direct and indirect effects on a sample of 395 employees: (1) a serial multiple mediation model, and (2) the same serial multiple mediation model including the moderating role of work engagement. Results showed a significant mediating effect of both work-family conflict and emotional exhaustion. Moreover, work engagement moderated the relationship between workaholism and work-family conflict and the relationship between workaholism and emotional exhaustion. This work contributes to the understanding of the process underlying the relationship between workaholism and sleep disorders and to the literature reporting the possible protective role of work engagement on the negative outcomes of workaholism. Practical implications are also discussed.

Keywords: emotional exhaustion; work engagement; workaholism; work–family conflict.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mediation effect of work–family conflict and emotional exhaustion in the relationship between workaholism and sleep disorders, including interactions between workaholism and work engagement on work–family conflict, emotional exhaustion, and sleep disorders.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Plot of the interaction between workaholism and work engagement on work–family conflict.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Plot of the interaction between workaholism and emotional exhaustion, moderated by work engagement.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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