Students managing work and study role boundaries: a person-centred approach

Peter A Creed; Michelle Hood; Andrea Bialocerkowski; M Anthony Machin; Paula Brough; Sujin Kim; Sonya Winterbotham; Lindsay Eastgate

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1116031

Students managing work and study role boundaries: a person-centred approach

Front Psychol. 2023 Jun 20:14:1116031. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1116031. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Peter A Creed^{1

2}, Michelle Hood^{1

2}, Andrea Bialocerkowski³, M Anthony Machin⁴, Paula Brough^{1

2}, Sujin Kim¹, Sonya Winterbotham⁴, Lindsay Eastgate¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia.
² Centre for Work, Organisation, and Wellbeing, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia.
³ Office of the Pro Vice Chancellor, Griffith Health, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia.
⁴ School of Psychology and Wellbeing, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD, Australia.

Abstract

To cope with demands of working while studying, students must structure the boundaries between these roles (e.g., integrate or segment them) to suit their preferences and circumstances. However, students differ on how well they do this, and we do not yet understand the factors that contribute to managing work and study well. We sought to determine if different student groups existed and if the groups reported different work, study, and wellbeing outcomes. Using latent profile analysis and assessing work-study boundary congruence and flexibility (N = 808; 76% female; M_Age 19.6 years), we identified four groups of (a) "balanced" (65.4%; with moderate boundary congruence and flexibility); (b) "high work congruence and flexibility" (17.5%; working arrangements supportive of study role); (c) "low work congruence and flexibility" (9.7%; unsupportive workplace arrangements); and (d) "low study congruence" (7.3%; study arrangements unsupportive of work role). These groups reported different work/study demands, role conflict, study burnout, and perceived employability, with "balanced" and "high work congruence and flexibility" groups scoring more positively and "low work congruence and flexibility" and "low study congruence" groups scoring more negatively. Results supported that different student groups existed, and these will need different supports to manage their multiple role responsibilities.

Keywords: future employability; role boundary management; study burnout; work flexibility; work-study conflict; work-study demands.