Research on Educational Sport

The effect of work-family conflict on the performance of physical education teachers with the role of mediator and moderator of work stress

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Ali Meyghani
houriyhe dehghanpouri
Mojtaba Rajabi

Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22089/res.2025.18384.2686
Abstract
Extended Abstract
Background and Purpose
Work-family conflict refers to the challenges that individuals face when the demands of their work roles interfere with their ability to fulfill family responsibilities and vice versa (Voydanoff, 2004). There has been growing concern about the inter-role conflict that employees experience when trying to balance the demands of work and family roles, as this conflict can lead to negative outcomes (Butler & Skattebo, 2004). Meanwhile, job performance has been examined as a direct outcome of work-family conflict by several researchers, including De Clercq et al., 2025, who have reported a significant negative relationship. On the other hand, job stress may act as a mediator or moderator of the relationship between work-family conflict and job performance.
Some studies in the literature emphasize the positive one-way and two-way correlation between job stress and work-family life (Karatepe & Baddar, 2005). Recent studies also emphasize the importance of the relationship between work-family conflict and job stress (Voydanoff, 2005). In general, different jobs create different work-family conflicts due to differences in work schedules and demands. Therefore, different jobs may increase the likelihood of work-family conflict depending on the level of expectations they have from individuals (Rastegar Khaled et al., 2015). This is while it seems that physical education teachers are more exposed to conflicts due to the stressful nature of their job (such as long working hours, physical and mental responsibilities). Therefore, it is important to examine this issue among physical education teachers because their desired performance directly affects the physical and mental health of students. Also, understanding the role of job stress in this relationship can help design organizational interventions (such as stress reduction programs or work flexibility). Therefore, the main question of the present study is what effect do work-family conflict and family-work conflict have on the job performance of physical education teachers? And what role (mediator and moderator) does job stress play in this relationship?
Methods
This study is applied in terms of purpose, descriptive-correlational in terms of method, cross-sectional in terms of time, and survey in terms of data collection method. In terms of design, it is non-experimental and correlational in terms of structural equation modeling. The statistical population of this study included all physical education teachers in Semnan Province in the academic year 2023–2024 (300 people). The sample size was estimated according to Kline's theory (2014) and the number of items was between 100 and 400 people. The data collection tools are Saragih's job stress questionnaire (2011), Buil et al.'s job performance (2019), and Netenmeyer et al.'s family-work and work-family conflict (1996). The validity and reliability of the questionnaires were confirmed. The distribution of the questionnaires was accessible. SPSS 23 and Smart-PLS 4 statistical software were also used to analyze the data.
Results
The findings showed that work-family conflict has a negative and significant effect on the job performance of physical education teachers in Semnan Province. Work-family conflict has a negative and significant effect on the job performance of physical education teachers in Semnan Province. Work-family conflict has a positive and significant effect on the job stress of physical education teachers in Semnan Province. Job stress has a negative and significant effect on the job performance of physical education teachers in Semnan Province. Work-family conflict has a negative and significant effect on the job performance of physical education teachers in Semnan Province with the moderating role of job stress, and job stress has a mediating role in the relationship between work-family conflict and job performance, meaning that part of the effect of work-family conflict on job performance depends on the presence of the job stress variable.
Conclusion
The findings of this study show that job stress, as a key mechanism, explains a significant part of the negative effect of family-work conflict on the performance of physical education teachers. These results emphasize the need for multi-level interventions to break this vicious cycle. In order to reduce work-family conflict, it is suggested to create flexible work programs, such as floating work hours or teleworking for administrative duties. Holding time management workshops and work-life balance techniques for teachers can also be part of programs to reduce work-family conflict. Reducing the volume of non-teaching tasks (such as administrative) for physical education teachers and providing psychological counseling services in the workplace can help manage job stress. Strengthening reward and recognition systems for teachers with desirable performance, as well as creating a collaborative space to receive feedback from teachers about job challenges, are among the solutions that can lead to reducing undesirable stress and increasing the desired performance of physical education teachers. Appropriate distribution of workload throughout the school year is also among the solutions that can greatly reduce work-family conflict.
Article Message
The findings of this study show that job stress, as a key mechanism, explains a significant part of the negative impact of family-work conflict on physical education teachers' performance. These results emphasize the need for multi-level interventions (individual, family, and organizational) to break this vicious cycle. At the individual level, job resilience programs can be provided specifically for physical education teachers and role separation techniques can be taught to them. At the family level, workshops on mutual understanding of job roles and free family counseling can be taken seriously. At the organizational level, seasonal working hours can also be planned. Similarly, creating support infrastructures such as kindergartens and rest rooms or even massage is also very helpful.
Ethical Considerations
All ethical principles in this research have been observed by the authors at all stages. This research is also derived from the master's thesis in the field of physical education and sports sciences of Shahrood University of Technology with the ethics code IR.SHAHROODUT.REC.1402.036 from the Research Ethics Committee of Shahrood University of Technology.
Authors' Contributions
The authors participated in all stages of this research work and accept responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the material contained in the article. The contribution of each author to the research is as follows: Ideation: H. D; Article writing: H. D., & A. M; Data collection: A. M; Data analysis: M. R; Review and editing: H. D.
Conflict of Interest
The authors of this article state that there is no conflict in the present study.
Acknowledgments
Hereby the authors of the current paper acknowledge the help of all those who have cooperated in conducting the present research.

Keywords

Teachers
Human resources
School
Sports
Performance
Subjects
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https://doi.org/10.4236/ojbm.2024.122064    
 
 
 

  • Receive Date 12 August 2025
  • Accept Date 04 October 2025

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