Effects of role conflicts and role satisfactions on stress of three professions in Hong Kong: a path analysis approach

Numerous studies have been conducted to test the causal relationship among role conflict, role satisfaction and stress. However, they are mostly done in the USA. Given that Chinese culture is different from American culture, models developed in the West may not apply to the Chinese population. This study, therefore, examined the causal relationship among work conflict, family conflict, job satisfaction, marital satisfaction, life satisfaction and stress. Subjects of this study included nurses, social workers, and managers in Hong Kong. Path analysis was conducted and its result showed a good fit of the model. The findings indicate that job satisfaction and marital satisfaction experienced by the subjects were affected by work conflict and family conflict as well as inter‐role conflict. Likewise, their stress level was also influenced by life satisfaction which in turn was affected by job satisfaction and marital satisfaction.