Which entrepreneurs are less stressed by work–family conflicts? The roles of appraisal, dualistic passion and gender

Purpose This study examines how work–family conflicts translate into stress through cognitive appraisal among entrepreneurs and how dualistic passion and gender shape this appraisal process. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the Transactional Model of Stress, the study analyzes data from 440 entrepreneurs using structural equation modeling to test hypothesized mediation, moderation and boundary condition effects. Findings Hindrance appraisal significantly mediates the association between work–family conflicts and perceived stress, whereas challenge appraisal does not. Harmonious passion buffers the association between work–family conflicts and hindrance appraisal, while obsessive passion shows no significant effect. Further, gender moderates the hindrance appraisal pathway, such that this pathway is only significant for male entrepreneurs. Originality/value This research establishes hindrance appraisal as the key mechanism linking work–family conflicts to stress in entrepreneurship, positions harmonious passion as a cognitive buffer at the appraisal stage and demonstrates that gender conditions the appraisal process. Collectively, these findings extend appraisal theory to the entrepreneurial context and offer new insights into the mechanisms and individual conditions that shape entrepreneurs' well-being.