Job Stress, Emotional Exhaustion, and Work-Family Conflict: A Moderated Mediation Model

Sina Eslamdoust; Jeeyoon Jeong; Ji Hoon Lee; Ye Dai; Bei Lyu

doi:10.47297/wspchrmWSP2040-800511.20261701

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Job Stress, Emotional Exhaustion, and Work-Family Conflict: A Moderated Mediation Model

Volume 17, Issue 1

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Job Stress, Emotional Exhaustion, and Work-Family Conflict: A Moderated Mediation Model
Job Stress, Emotional Exhaustion, and Work-Family Conflict: A Moderated Mediation Model
1.Southern Illinois University, College of Business and Analytics, 1025 Lincoln Drive, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
2.Korea University Business School, Seoul, Republic of Korea
3.Panyapiwat Institute of Management, 85 Chaeng Watthana Rd, Tambon Bang Talat, Pak Kret District, Nonthaburi 11120, Thailand
Vol. 17, Issue 1, Pages: 193-208(2026)
Published：30 March 2026
DOI：10.47297/wspchrmWSP2040-800511.20261701
Accepted：

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Eslamdoust Sina,Jeong Jeeyoon,Lee Ji Hoon,et al.Job Stress, Emotional Exhaustion, and Work-Family Conflict: A Moderated Mediation Model[J].Journal of Chinese Human Resources Management,2026,17(01):193-208.
DOI：

Eslamdoust Sina,Jeong Jeeyoon,Lee Ji Hoon,et al.Job Stress, Emotional Exhaustion, and Work-Family Conflict: A Moderated Mediation Model[J].Journal of Chinese Human Resources Management,2026,17(01):193-208. DOI： 10.47297/wspchrmWSP2040-800511.20261701.

摘要

Abstract

Despite extensive research on work-family conflict (WFC)

questions remain about when and why job stress translates into family domain interference. Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) theory (Hobfoll

1989)

this study examines whether emotional exhaustion mediates the relationship between job stress and WFC

and whether authoritarian leadership moderates this process. Using data from 1

095 U.S. employees

we find that emotional exhaustion serves as a key mediating mechanism

consistent with resource depletion arguments. More importantly

we demonstrate that authoritarian leadership significantly amplifies the stress-exhaustion relationship through mechanisms identified in prior research: reduced autonomy

increased monitoring

and blocked recovery. These findings extend COR theory by showing that leadership context shapes resource depletion processes. Our results suggest that interventions targeting stress alone may be insufficient without considering the leadership environment that determines how stress affects employees' resources and subsequent work-family outcomes.

关键词

Keywords

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