Daily affect and detachment as pathways to positive and negative work-family spillover and crossover

In this study, we examined how work-related positive and negative affect spill over to the family domain and cross over between partners, in that way affecting both partners’ work-family enrichment and conflict. We examined two potential underlying spillover mechanisms: (1) positive and negative affect at home and (2) psychological detachment. Moreover, we examined mutual crossover of these mediating variables among partners. We surveyed 57 dual-earner couples twice a day over a period of one workweek. The three-level path analysis, using the actor–partner interdependence model, supported the indirect effect of positive affect at work to work-family enrichment via positive affect at home and the indirect effect of negative affect at work to work-family conflict via both negative affect at home and lowered psychological detachment. In addition, psychological detachment related directly and positively to work-family enrichment. Moreover, we found support for the crossover of individuals’ positive affect at ...