Examining the impostor phenomenon and work-family conflict

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderated-mediational relationship between the impostor phenomenon (IP) and work-to-family conflict (WFC). Building on conservation of resources (COR) theory, the authors hypothesize that individuals who experience the IP lack the initial resourc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of managerial psychology 2016-03, Vol.31 (2), p.375-390
Main Authors: Crawford, Wayne S, Shanine, Kristen K, Whitman, Marilyn V, Kacmar, K. Michele
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Buildings
Communities
Community colleges
Conservation
Corporate culture
Employees
Exhaustion
Family conflict
Family work relationship
Fatigue
Growth models
HR & organizational behaviour
Long term
Moderators
Negative experiences
Occupational psychology
Organizational psychology
Organizational support
Organizations
Personality
Physiology
Psychology
Regression
Resource recovery
Self esteem
Social anxiety
Success
Work life balance
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Summary:Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderated-mediational relationship between the impostor phenomenon (IP) and work-to-family conflict (WFC). Building on conservation of resources (COR) theory, the authors hypothesize that individuals who experience the IP lack the initial resources needed to meet work demands and, thus, experience emotional exhaustion, which leads to WFC. However, the authors hypothesize that additional resources provided by organizations, such as perceived organizational support (POS), may weaken the negative experiences of imposters. Design/methodology/approach – The authors tested a moderated-mediation model using data from a time-lagged survey study among 92 Midwest community college employees. Regression was used to examine the mediating effects of emotional exhaustion and the moderating effect of POS on the IP to WFC relationship. Findings – Results support the hypothesized model. Emotional exhaustion is a mediating mechanism in the relationship between the IP and WFC. POS is a moderator of this indirect relationship; the indirect relationship between the IP and WFC through emotional exhaustion is weaker when employees perceive high levels of POS. Practical/implications – The findings suggest that there are detrimental long-term effects associated with the IP for organizations. Thus, managers should curb feelings of impostorism within their organizations and provide impostors with organizational support in order to reduce their emotional exhaustion and WFC. Originality/value – The present study indicates that individual dispositions play an indirect role in WFC. Furthermore, the authors identify organizational outcomes associated with the IP, whereas previous research has rarely emphasized outcomes.
ISSN:0268-3946
1758-7778
DOI:10.1108/JMP-12-2013-0409