Kimberley Breevaart

Leader-member exchange, work engagement and job performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the process through which leader-member exchange (LMX) is related to followers’ job performance. Integrating the literature on LMX theory and resource theories, the authors hypothesized that the positive relationship between LMX and employee job performance is sequentially mediated by job resources (autonomy, developmental opportunities, and social support) and employee work engagement. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 847 Dutch police officers filled out an online questionnaire. Multilevel structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships and to account for the nesting of employees in teams. Findings – Employees in high-quality LMX relationships work in a more resourceful work environment (i.e. report more developmental opportunities and social support, but not more autonomy). This resourceful work environment, in turn, facilitates work engagement and job performance. Research limitations/implications – Because of the res...

Working parents of children with behavioral problems: a study on the family-work interface.

Abstract This study examines the process by which child behavioral problems are related to parents’ well-being. We developed a family–work spillover model that was tested among 225 working parents. It was hypothesized that family–self conflict (FSC) mediates the relationship between child behavioral problems and parental strain, and that family–work conflict (FWC) mediates the relationship between parental strain and work engagement. Further, it was hypothesized that social support moderates the relationship between child behavioral problems and FSC. The results of (moderated) structural equation modeling supported the mediating role of FSC and FWC and the moderating role of social support. These findings suggest that the negative effects of raising a child with behavioral problems on parental well-being can be buffered by social support.

The influence of job and parental strain on typically and atypically developing children: a vicious circle?

This theoretical article tries to answer the question how job and parental strain influence the development of children. We propose a conceptual model with possible mediators and moderators of the relationship between job strain and child development. Research shows that parents experiencing strain are less involved with their children. Several propositions are developed regarding the consequences of reduced involvement for the child. It is proposed that children with stressed parents are more likely to become insecurely attached and have fewer modelling opportunities. These relationships should not be as severe for children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, and more severe for children with an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. However, it is also proposed that maladaptive child development leads to more parental strain. Implications for future research are discussed.

Daily Job Demands and Employee Work Engagement: The Role of Daily Transformational Leadership Behavior.

Using job demands–resources (JD-R) theory, the present study integrates the challenge stressor-hindrance stressor framework and leadership theory to investigate the relationship between daily transformational leadership behavior and employee work engagement. We hypothesized that daily transformational leadership behavior (a) sustains employee work engagement on days characterized by high challenge job demands, and (b) protects work engagement on days characterized by high hindrance job demands. Teachers filled out a short online questionnaire at the end of each workday during a 2-week period (N = 271 × 5.68 days = 1539). Results of latent moderated structural equation modeling showed that teachers’ daily challenge demands (workload and cognitive demands) had a positive relationship with work engagement on the days transformational leadership was high (vs. low). In addition, teachers’ daily hindrance demands (role-conflict, but not family to work conflict) had a negative relationship with work engagement on the days transformational leadership was low (vs. high). These findings show that the function of transformational leadership behavior changes from day to day, and depends on the type of job demand. We discuss the practical and theoretical implications of these findings.