The role of social support and emotional exhaustion in the association between work-family conflict and anxiety symptoms among female medical staff: a moderated mediation model

BACKGROUND: Limited work has been done to explain how work-family conflict is related to anxiety symptoms and the roles of emotional exhaustion and social support may play. METHODS: Based on a sample of 764 female nurses and physicians, a model was tested in which emotional exhaustion served as a mediator and social support was regarded as a moderator between work-family conflict and anxiety symptoms. RESULTS: This current study supported a moderated mediation model where the relationship between work-family conflict and anxiety symptoms via emotional exhaustion was weakest for female medical staff who reported high levels of social support. CONCLUSIONS: This study contribute to providing an understanding of how and when work-family conflict affects anxiety symptoms. The results implicate a wide range of interventions aimed at promoting mental wellbeing among female medical staff for policymakers and individuals.