The relationship between Turkish women’s self-efficacy for managing work-family conflict and depression, anxiety and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic: A web-based cross-sectional study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed working women’s workplace and family workload. The changing workplace-family workload may cause a decrease in work-family conflict management self-efficacy. The decrease in work-family conflict management self-efficacy in women may increase their depression, anxiety, and stress levels. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the relationship between Turkish women’s self-efficacy for managing work-family conflict and their depression, anxiety, and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 244 Turkish women via social media (Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp). The data were collected online through a questionnaire, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), and sub-scales of the Self-Efficacy for Managing Work-Family Conflict Scale (SE-WFC): Work-to-Family Conflict (WFC) and Family-to-Work Conflict (FWC). RESULTS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, 87.3% of working women experienced an increase in their family workload (100% increase in cooking and cleaning jobs). On the other hand, workplace workload of 83% of women increased. According to DASS-21, women experienced depression (55.7%), anxiety (49.6%) and stress (63.1%). A negative correlation was found between the mean scores of WFC/FWC and the mean scores of depression, anxiety, and stress. (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Turkish women’s self-efficacy for managing work-family and family-work conflict decreased, and their depression, anxiety, and stress levels increased.