A Review of the Literature on the School-Work-Life Interface
Abstract
As term-time employment for college students has rapidly increased worldwide, the topic of multiple role engagement among employed students has attracted much research attention. Nevertheless, how paid employment might affect student outcomes remains unknown. With this in mind, we provide a critical synthesis of the school-work-life (SWL) interface literature that focuses on undergraduate students who engage in term-time employment because the SWL interface, when considered as a psychological experience emerging from multiple role engagement, may shed light on the complex relationship between engagement in multiple roles and outcomes. Supporting the notion that the SWL interface is an underlying mechanism in the relationship between the multiple role engagement and outcomes, our review suggests that (a) demands and resources in each domain relate to positive/negative inter-role interface and (b) positive/negative inter-role interface predicts various outcomes in working undergraduates. We conclude with practical implications for multiple stakeholders and directions for future research.
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Biographies
Casey Choo Ee Kiang is a graduate of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, where he received his honors degree in psychology. He is currently a business development manager for a chain of bars and retail outlets while starting his own craft beer brand. His research interest revolves around behavioral insights, Millennials’ consumerism, and their behaviors in different life domains. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, meeting friends, and discovering obscure dining spots.
Kan Zi Xiang, BA (Honors) in psychology, is a graduate of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He is currently working as a management associate for Certis Cisco, handling daily physical security functions that contribute toward the operations and security of one of Singapore’s checkpoints. Although he is not presently pursuing further education, his interests involve topics revolving industrial organization, human factors, and human resource management. In his spare time, he competes in Ultimate and enjoys quiet company among books.
Eunae Cho is an assistant professor in the psychology program at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, who earned her PhD from the industrial organizational psychology program at the University of South Florida. Her research program concerns workers’ health and well-being, specifically work-family issues. She teaches courses on occupational health psychology and organizational psychology. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing piano, and spending time with her family.
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Article first published online: April 4, 2019
Issue published: June 2021
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