The Relationship between Dual-Earner Couples' Daily Work Mood and Home Affect

Abstract

This study explored the spillover and crossover paradigms as explanations for associations between work mood and affect in the home setting. Data from two consecutive work days for 59 dual-earner couples provided evidence for both work-to-home and home-to-work effects. The spillover hypothesis was supported primarily in the effect of work fatigue on later moods at home and the effect of positive home affects on subsequent work moods. The crossover hypothesis was seen in the effect of wives' negative work mood and work fatigue on husbands' reactions at home and spouses' home affect on partners' subsequent work mood. Work-home linkages and gender roles are discussed.