Women’s Work-Family Balance in Slovenia: Associations With Job Stress, Division of Labor Satisfaction, and Relational Well-Being

Slovenia has a unique culture because of its high gender equality index but traditional gender roles. As such, the Slovene population is of particular interest regarding communication between romantic partners, especially when interrole conflicts occur because of work-family (WF; when work responsibilities interfere with family) and family-work (FW; when family life interferes with work) conflict. This study explores the associations among job stress, division of labor (DoL), WF and FW conflict, and relational well-being. We surveyed 95 Slovene women in dual-earner couples (married or in lifelong commitments) about their work and family lives. DoL satisfaction was negatively associated with DoL proportion (the share of housework completed by each person) and positively associated with FW conflict. Job stress and WF conflict were positively associated. Only FW conflict was inversely associated with positive relational outcomes. This study provides insight into how Slovene women experience interrole conflict and the potential impact of FW conflict on relational well-being. Implications for relational, gender, and work-life scholars and practitioners are discussed.